Lookout Mountain Georgia/Tennessee

Camping near the Alabama/Georgia/Tennessee Border

Where we spent 5 days mostly visiting National Park sites. Our first stop was to the tri-state marker, where we took turns standing in 3 states, and 2 times zones at the same time! (so exciting.) That was day 1, enroute to Russell Cave, in Alabama (from Georgia, through Tennessee). Then we spent the next 4 days visiting 5 of the 6 areas of Chickamauga/Chattanooga National Military Park, in Georgia & Tennessee. Note, we had plenty of time for the Military Park, since we visited many of the “Touristy Sites” in the Chattanooga area¹ back in 2013, on our 60th Birthday Trip. (During a government shut-down, National Parks were closed.)

Visits to 2 new National Park Sites, in Alabama, Georgia, & Tennessee:

• Russell Cave National Monument (#242), an archeological site with one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast, where artifacts representing over 10,000 years of use were found.  Unfortunately, the Visitor Center/Museum is being renovated, so we didn’t get to see any artifacts, just pictures. But we saw the cave opening and took the 1.2-mile nature trail.
• Chickamauga/Chickamauga National Military Park (#243), the first National Military Park, established in 1890. It encompasses more than 9,000 acres of battlefields, monuments, and forests, and urban landscapes. In 1863, Union and Confederate forces fought for control of Chattanooga, the “Gateway to the Deep South.” The Confederates were victorious at nearby Chickamauga, Georgia in September, but the Union was victorious in Chattanooga in November, thus taking control of the city, “…the death-knell of the Confederacy.”
  • Two days at Chickamauga Battlefield, doing both driving tours, hiking over 5 miles through the woods and fields, exploring some of the more than 1,600 monuments, not to mention battle markers and climbing the 136 steps of the Wilder Brigade Monument.
  • One day exploring Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, with great views, especially at Point Park, and where we did some hiking along the bluff.
  • One day visiting Orchard Knob, Sherman’s Reservation on Missionary Ridge, a bit of Moccasin Bend, and (related-but-not-part-of) Chattanooga National Cemetery.
• Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (across AL,AR,GA,IL,KY,MO,NC,OK,TN), commemorates the survival of the Cherokee people, forcefully removed from their homelands in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee to live in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, traveling by foot, horse, wagon, or steamboat in 1838-1839. We visited the John Ross Home and walked a bit of the original Trail of Tears.

Anything Else?

Friday, we ended our day in Chattanooga (after Orchard Knob, Missionary Ridge, the National Cemetery, and Moccasin Bend) with 2.5 hours at the Tennessee Aquarium, on the Chattanooga waterfront. It was impressive…2 large buildings, for the River Journey and for the Ocean Journey. (just chores yesterday)

and now…off for the Great Smokies!

For more pictures, see (in-work) Adventure Album:  Southern Appalachians

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1. Chattanooga/Chickamauga Site’s visited in 2013:
   – Ruby Falls
   – Rock City (during Octoberfest)
   – Tennessee Valley Railroad
   – Chattanooga Incline Railroad
   – Durham Mines-Coke Ovens
   – International Towing & Recovery Museum & Hall of Fame
   
   and we did drive through Chickamauga and along Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga ↩︎