Walden’s Ridge Park outdoor attraction opens to the public
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A seven year outdoor collaboration came to fruition Saturday on Signal Mountain.
Hamilton County’s next outdoor tourist attraction ‘Walden’s Ridge Park’ officially opened to the public on Saturday, Sept. 30.
The park is located at the flank of Signal Mountain just off the W road.
Walden’s Ridge Park will feature over ten miles of trails that welcome mountain biking, hiking, running, and bouldering.
“Well in a lot of ways this park represents the best of our community. There were outdoor enthusiasts and local foundations and governing bodies who stepped in to build a 200-acre park on the side of a mountain… which if you think about it is really something you would only see in Chattanooga, Tennessee,” Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp said.
These multi-use trails will elevate the standard for mountain biking and hiking in the Chattanooga region, being a unique downhill trail on the flank of a mountain.
“If you’re a mountain biker and a great athlete, then this is one experience. If you’re more like me, this is also going to be open to hikers and walkers, and trail runners. It’s an extraordinary place. I was blown away the first time I came out here,” Wamp said.
Walden’s Ridge Park will feature over ten miles of multi-use trails available to people of all ages.
“Public parks are so important for our health and well-being. To have a multi-use park like this, it’s a world-class park. People are going to be coming from all over. In fact, we have people from Germany here today. So, it’s just terrific that Chattanooga has this resource, that Hamilton County is going to be the steward of this. And the Land Trust for Tennessee is going to be sure that it is forever open space,” President & CEO of the Land Trust for Tennessee Liz McLaurin said.
The project started with donations of land from the McDonald family and is now maintained and operated by Hamilton County.
“It’s been a labor of love for a lot of people in Chattanooga to have this day arrive. Seven years in the making. A lot of different partners who kind of carried the baton for each part of the race. But it’s a great day. Because this is going to be an incredible asset for the whole area. Really, a mecca. In fact there’s a film that’s been made about this for mountain bikers probably all over the world,” Mayor of Chattanooga Tim Kelly said.
One woman from Munich took off today as the first female mountain biker on the trail.
The hope is for people from all over to visit the park and to enjoy all it has to offer.
Partners: Hamilton County, City of Chattanooga, North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy, The Land Trust for Tennessee, Lyndhurst Foundation,The Tucker Foundation, Riverview Foundation, Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA Chattanooga), Southeastern Climbers Coalition, IMBA Trail Solutions, Trails are Common Ground, and McGill Trails.
