Chattanooga is already known as "The Gig City," "The Scenic City" and "The Best Town Ever," according to Outside Magazine.
But this month, the city will gain another unique title that no other city in the country can claim. On April 28 Chattanooga will be named as the "First Trail Town" for the Great Eastern Trail, America's newest long-distance hiking trail that spans from Alabama to New York.
"Chattanooga is not only the biggest town on our trail, it's the biggest town on any long-distance trail in the United States," says Great Eastern Trail founder Tom Johnson. "We think it's really important to start this Trail Town program off on the right foot and thought it was important to start with Chattanooga."
As part of the designation, Johnson says the Great Eastern Trail Association plans to partner with the city to designate signage along the trail route and list the trail on the city's website as a recreational opportunity. The project stemmed from a similar program on the Appalachian Trail designed to get hikers to connect with the towns they are hiking near or through as part of the trail. To kick off the new accolade, he says the group will host several walks, hikes and rides along the trail during the association's annual board meeting April 27-28.
"We're hoping it's going to be a nice spring day and a great time to get outdoors and access the wonderful recreational opportunities Chattanooga has to offer and to find out more about the Great Eastern Trail," says Johnson.
Hit the Trail: April 27-28
The exact times and locations of the weekend's events are still being organized but anyone interested in participating can visit the Great Eastern Trail's website at greateasterntrail.net for more information. All of the weekend's events are free and open to the public.