The next phase of the new park on Stringer’s Ridge is set to begin in late March, according to Rick Wood of the Trust for Public Land, who recently spoke to the Red Bank Neighborhood Pride Association about plans for the park and possible ways to connect it to the city.
He said 10 miles of trails, an easily accessible trailhead near Nikki’s Diner and an overlook structure showcasing Chattanooga’s “$2.5 million view” are the first changes the public will see.
“The goal is to have the trailhead and trails open by late summer,” said Wood, adding that park users should park on the road until the parking area is open, not at Nikki’s.
He explained that the River Gorge Trust holds the easements for the land on Stringer’s Ridge in perpetuity, which will prevent anyone from ever clear-cutting the land, building something there or in any way altering the land aside from putting in soft surface trails.
The master plan calls for three to five miles of single track trails for mountain biking and three to five miles of multi-use trails with an easy difficulty rating for use by the general public. All trails will be marked and designated, he said.