Cycling options for area mountain-biking enthusiasts have undergone a massive expansion with the opening of two new trail systems within minutes of downtown Chattanooga.
New trail systems on Walden’s Ridge and Aetna Mountain had grand openings on consecutive days at the end of September, opening more than 15 miles of new trails for cyclists of all levels. This expansion of trail systems in Hamilton County is expected to help boost the already-strong economic impact of cycling, which brings in almost $7 million and thousands of visitors each year.
Both new trail systems were developed and built by International Mountain Biking Association’s (IMBA) Trail Solutions, which is one of the country’s premier organizations for mountain-bike trail construction.
The Aetna Mountain system is a multi-use system with almost 4 miles of single-track trails developed by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust. In addition to cycling, the trails can be used for hiking and trail-running with options for beginners to intermediate cyclists.
