Find the top rated birding trails in Dalton, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
_214415_st.jpg)
We rode the entire pathway, starting at the northern dam site. This is one of the most enjoyable, varied, and well maintained routes we've ridden! The entire route is well done, with light poles the entire way, elevated sections or bridges thru all types of natural areas (instead of around), and many parks or trailside restrooms. Whether thru parks, alongside the highway, or even past industrial businesses, the trail is landscaped O meadow-scaped), the path is smooth, and
Today 4-17-2025 my husband and I rode the trail from the Wheland Factory parking lot to the Dam. The first part of the trail goes past some industrial areas. As we got further up it goes past townhomes and downtown. Our only complaint was the lack of trail signage to keep you on tract and mileage markers. There were some metal cutouts with numbers indicating the miles and some very small markers in the concrete itself with markings but unless you stopped to read them, there was no way you could have read them as you pedaled by. The trail itself is in good shape and we saw several crews keeping the grounds surrounding the trail trimmed.
The multiple boardwalks and intermittent views of the creek are what make this trail a 5*. As noted by another reviewer: A large section of trail is CLOSED until July 2027. If you are coming from Camp Jordan and heading north, you cannot cross I-75. But the 11 miles of trail north of I-75 to downtown Chattanooga are open. I parked at Sterchi Farm TH and did some out-and-backs. The best scenery (ie, the boardwalks) are north and south of Sterchi Farm TH.
The SO Chick trail follows the Chickamauga Creek but it is not a flat trail that follows the grade of a river or an old rail line.
We started our ride at the Tennessee River and the shared trail head with the Riverwalk trail. As the trail goes up stream is climbs high on the hillside banks. Half of the trail distance is wooden boardwalks, and a couple of the climbs are so steel that they created switchbacks.
Another clue this is not a rail to trail path is the many railways along the path that are active. The path runs along side an active line for a stretch and at one point 4 active lines can be viewed from the same spot. On the 10 mile round trip we saw 4 trains including the Tennessee Valley Railroad scenic train.
This is a very pretty trail with a lot of hill and turns. Boardwalks are in good condition, but being boardwalk they are not smooth and can be slippery.
Drove to the trailhead at Camp Jordan Recreation Area. The Recreation area has a paved 2-mile section of the trail and a bridge over the creek in the direction of the Chattanooga River Trail. The problem is that the bridge is closed and a significant part of the trail connection between the Recreation Area and the River Trail is closed until 2027 due to extensive sewer work. You can access the Greenway from the River Trail and ride to the levee but then you would need to turn around.
To start with, getting to this trail can be an adventure. Just as I got to the intersection of Friday and Big Texas Rds. the satellite service cut out then told me to turn left instead of right. I advise printing out directions before leaving home. There is absolutely no signage at the trailhead. You just need to know that shortly after you turn left from Big Texas onto Huffiger there is an opening on the right (parking) and a trail on the left. It is clear the RR once continued behind the parking area but this requires development- my view is that it is not currently bikeable and maybe if they don't cut the weeds, not really hikeable come later spring/summer. Cross the road from the parking area to begin your upward grade. The trail has medium sized stones that make MTB tires required. The rail bed is rough and there are lots of pine cones, pine needles, gravel chunks, sticks of varying diameters and some ruts that must be navigated. I proceeded to the bridge over Cabin Creek, crossed Big Texas Rd. and continued to the Friday Rd. crossing. All along there is no directional signage. I just assumed I was on the right trail. It gets confusing at this Friday Rd crossing. There is a fancy gate indicating a private drive but it appears that the trail continues to the left of this gate/wall. However when i crossed to check it out I noted thick mud heavily rutted by what likely was an ATV. This did not look hospitable for a biker so I turned around. That amounted to a 5.5 mile round trip- only a little over half of what I had hoped to accomplish. In my opinion this trail needs a lot of work in the form of signage and repair of the heavily rutted mud areas in order to be worth the trip. Just seemed a little directionally sketchy and impassable at that intersection. You can see the other end of the trail when you return towards Summerville but there too it is unclear as to what the parking situation is. No real signage other than a road sign warning motorists of hikers crossing. Georgia, you can do better!
Really fun trail. Lots of bridges and boardwalks beside the river. Felt like being in a tree fort at times.
Fun ride new record of 41 miles on my e-bike. I’m sure I could have hit 50 no problem.
This is a nice little loop now with the opening of the bridge near the baseball stadium. The only real point of issue on my ride was that in the park area on the east side of the river roots were pushing up the pavement to make for a pretty bumpy stretch down that bit of the trail. Once through that though, it was mostly smooth riding.
I do hope for more spurs and expansions to allow for additional access to stores and shops so that it can be used for much more than just joyrides.
You won't find many amenities on this trail but it's a pretty and peaceful ride. There are some parts of the trail that cross busy roads if you want to complete the entire trail.
Beautiful ride, takes you right into downtown if you want to stop for refreshments. Clean facilities along the ride and very well maintained. Connects to the South Chickamauga Greenway to extend the ride
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Scan the QR code to get TrailLink on your phone
Map Search
