Fall foliage is one of my favorite things during the autumn months. Once the first leaf falls, I’m all about driving around to see the colors. Thanks to the mountains around us, Chattanooga has some stellar spots to view the changing colors. The peak weeks for leaves in Chattanooga typically fall in mid/late October through the beginning of November.
Fall Foliage in Chattanooga
McLemore Cove – This beautiful spot is nestled between Pigeon and Lookout Mountains in Georgia, so there are beautiful colors surrounding you on all sides here. Once you finish up your drive below the mountains, you can see the colors from up above at the McLemore Resort located on top of Lookout Mountain. Snag a table for dinner at The Creag and enjoy the amazing view from up top!
Lookout Mountain – Lookout Mountain has two terrific roads to drive along to see all of the beautiful fall colors. Lula Lake Road runs along the front side that overlooks Flintstone, GA and downtown Chattanooga. Scenic Highway runs along the backside and overlooks Dade County, GA and Lookout Valley, TN. If you catch Lula Lake on an open weekend, you can take in the stunning colors there as you hike. You can also hit up Rock City, Ruby Falls, Point Park, and the Incline Railway to enjoy the scenery.
University of Tennessee Chattanooga – This may seem like an odd place to look at leaves, but UTC’s campus has beautiful, old trees all over the campus. With the campus being compacted into a few city blocks, this is the perfect spot to walk on a crisp fall morning.
Tennessee Riverwalk – Another great place to see fall foliage is along the Tennessee Riverwalk. Trees line the riverwalk on one side, and with the Tennessee River on the other, this makes for a gorgeous spot to look at leaves.
Tennessee River Gorge – Perhaps maybe the best place to see all of Chattanooga’s beautiful fall foliage is on the Tennessee River. With breathtaking views on both sides, a long boat ride down the river is a great way to take in the color of autumn. Chattanooga has many rental options if you don’t have access to a boat. You can also take advantage of one of the Southern Belle’s fall foliage cruises.
Raccoon Mountain Reservoir – This beautiful spot overlooks Chattanooga and has its own stunning mountain top scenery. If you’re lucky, you may see a bald eagle or two while you’re enjoying the colors.
Missionary Ridge – Along the ridge, you have views of both downtown Chattanooga/Lookout Mountain and East Chattanooga. There are many pull off spots where you can stop to enjoy the views.
Signal Mountain – Signal Mountain is another great spot to look at the changing fall colors. Whether you drive below the mountain in Red Bank or on top to see the views of Chattanooga, you can’t go wrong at this location.
Enterprise South Nature Park – Located in Ooltewah, Enterprise South has some great trails where you can take in the fall sights.
Chickamauga Battlefield – Located just south of Chattanooga in Georgia, the Chickamauga Battlefield is a wonderful place to look at the leaves as they change. You can brush up on your Civil War history and see all the beautiful White-tailed deer that call the park home.
I hope you’re able to enjoy the changing leaves this fall. As F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
Be sure to check out all our fall and Halloween posts!
Chattanooga Halloween Events (update in October)
Chattanooga Pumpkin Patch Roundup
