Preview the new Aetna Mountain Trails!

Meet the trail builders and be the first to preview the new Aetna Mountain Trails!

• Where: Aetna Mountain Trailhead

• When: April 15, 2026 at 5:30 pm EST

• What to Bring: If you’d like to hike or ride, please bring hiking shoes/boots or your bike and gear

• Costs: Free, but please register!

• Additional details can be found soon in the registration links below

Aetna Trail Fund-Racer: Night Race

Join HANDUP and the Tennessee River Gorge Trust for a nighttime team mountain biking challenge on the Aetna Mountain Trails!

Format: 4 hour partner mountain bike event. Pick a partner and take turns completing the new course, trading off laps with your partner however you want. The course rides right around the trailhead parking lot where spectators and partners will be watching and cheering you on before you or your partner head back out into the darkness. Snacks and drinks will also be provided in the trailhead parking lot to participants as part of the event as well.

• When- Friday May 15, 2026 from 7:00 - 11:00 pm EST (May 29 rain date)

• Where - Aetna Mountain Trails Trailhead

• Overflow Parking: If the trailhead is full, there will be overflow parking at top of the hill, an officer will be there to direct you.

• Costs: Suggested $60 donation per team (2 riders per team)

• Age Restrictions: 18 and up

• Spectators- Want to watch and party? Spectators just show up, it's free to watch. Suggested $15 donation for food and drink. Make sure to bring your own chair.

Bird Banding with TRGT - Spring 2026

Join us in 2026 on March 20, April 17, April 24 and May 14 as our research team captures and bands wild birds at our Bird Observatory.

Participants will go for an early morning boat ride to the remote Bird Observatory where TRGT staff will be banding birds.

• When: March 20, April 17, and April 24, and May 14 from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET

• Where: Participants will meet TRGT staff to ride our boat to TRGT’s Bird Observatory at the Suck Creek Boat Ramp (across the street from 1901 Suck Creek Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37405).

• What to Bring: Please bring your own water, wear weather appropriate clothing and closed toed hiking shoes as you will be in the woods.

• Age Restrictions: 10 and up

• Costs: Free, but please register. Spots are limited to 12 people per trip.

• Additional details can be found soon in the registration links below

Birdwatching Hikes with TRGT - Spring 2026

Join us in 2026 as our research team lead guided birdwatching hikes in the gorge!

• When: May 22 and 29, 2026 from 7 AM EST to 10 AM EST

• Where: Each day will be at a different location. On May 22, we will be birding Williams Island. On May 29, we will be birding Aetna Mountain Trails.

• What to Bring: Please bring your own water, wear weather appropriate clothing and closed toed hiking shoes as you will be in the woods.

• Age Restrictions: 12 and up

• Costs: Free, but please register. Spots are limited to 12 people per trip.

• Additional details can be found soon in the registration links below

Sunset Kayak Tours- Fall 2026

Kayak through the Tennessee River Gorge with Outdoor Chattanooga and members of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust. This leisurely paddle is beginner friendly and a wonderful way to experience the Gorge at sunset. Not to mention, participants will get to paddle an incredible section of river in Chattanooga’s own backyard with experienced guides.

Participants will be able to register when seats open 2 weeks before the event. To register for this event, you must first create an account if you do not already have one. Follow the link below to create your account. You can then follow one of the registration links below to sign up for your preferred date and learn more information. Sunset Kayak events can also be found on the Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors site under ‘Programs/Event Registration’ -> ‘OC Programs’ -> ‘Explorer’ tab.

• When: Fall dates will be published in Summer of 2026

• Where: Participants will meet at the TVA Boat Ramp off Raccoon Mountain Road at 6:30 PM EST (the boat ramp can be found on Google Maps under "Boat Ramp, TVA Racoon Mnt. pump Station"). The boat ramp is directly downstream of the TVA Raccoon Mountain Pump Station.

• Gear: Hat, sunscreen, water bottle, small bag or way to keep car keys safe, water-friendly shoes/sandals, clothes that can get wet. Outdoor Chattanooga will provide kayaks, paddles, and life jackets.

• Shuttle: Outdoor Chattanooga will shuttle participants back to their vehicles at the launch site after the paddle.

• Age Restrictions: 14 and up

• Paddle Length: The paddle is 4.4 miles downstream and roughly 2 hours on the water. The trip will begin at the Raccoon Mountain Boat Ramp and end at Sullivan's Landing on Highway 41.

Williams Island Woodcock Walk - February 2027

• Trip Destination- Williams Island 

• When- This is a recurring event in February

• Where - Participants will meet at Baylor School (171 Baylor School Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37405) at 5:45 pm EDT. TRGT staff will meet participants in the small gravel lot just before the guard shack then head to the TRGT boat.

• Costs: Free! Spots are limited to 16 participants per trip. Please consider donating to support our conservation work.

• Age Restrictions: 10 and up

• What to Bring- Please wear closed toe shoes and long pants (we’ll be doing an easy 1-mile hike), and please bring a flashlight and water. If you have a pair of binoculars, feel free to bring them. TRGT will also have extra binoculars.  

• What to Expect- The group will ride over to Williams Island in the TRGT boat followed by an easy 1-mile hike to the northern tip of Williams Island. Our goal is to observe male American Woodcock doing their fascinating courtship displays for the inspecting females. As with any other wildlife, they don’t always “read the script”, so we never know what we’ll find until we arrive. Thanks to our staff scouting ahead of time, we do feel confident that participants will find courting woodcock.  

Edwards Point Eaglet Watch - March 2027

• Trip Destination- Edwards Point

• When- This a recurring event in March

• Where - We will meet at a pull off along Edwards Point Road. Specifically near where Hassler Road meets Edwards point road (around these coordinates: 35.149, -85.369). Be on the lookout for a TRGT truck pulled off to the side of the road.

• Costs: Free! Spots are limited to 16 participants per trip. Please consider donating to support our conservation work.

• Age Restrictions: 12 and up

• What to Bring- Please wear closed toe shoes that can get muddy and long pants; we’ll be doing an intermediate 4-mile hike (2 miles each way). Please bring water and binoculars. TRGT will also have extra binoculars.  

• What to Expect- The group will meet off Edwards Point Road then hike to the point where TRGT staff will set up a spotting scope and binoculars to observe the adults visiting their nest and feeding young. As with any other wildlife, they don’t always “read the script”, so we never know what we’ll find until we arrive. Thanks to our staff scouting ahead of time, we’re confident the eagles will be in the area.