Address: 19 Van Cleve St, Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742
While this park isn’t actually in Chattanooga or even Tennessee for that matter, it is just across the state line in Georgia. The Gilbert-Stephenson park has attracted families and people of all for years with the tennis courts, sand volleyball court, swimming pool, walking track, and the former playground. In 2020, the playground got a face lift and it has been the centerpiece of the community since its grand re-opening in June 2020.
The play structure is inclusive, meaning most parts of the playground as accessible for people of all abilities. The playground meets all seven principles of inclusive playground design: fair, included, smart, independent, safe, active, and comfortable. It includes climbing, sliding, imaginative play, manipulative items, cooperative play, gathering and social spots, jump in and out elements, and looping patterns. Some specific features include:
Lots of field space
Tennis courts
Sand volleyball court
Access to the 7.5-mile long out-and-back trail, the Fort Oglethorpe Greenway
Covered patios
Public bathrooms
Public pool ($5)
4 person see-saw
Multiple slides (metal and plastic)
Multiple swing sections
Circular “tire” swing
Rocking boat
Age 2-5 section
Musical items, such as metallophone, touch piano, and drums
Calisthenic workout area
Large play structure with a bridge
I have taken all of my children to play here, including my 14-month old, 4- and 5-year old. They all were able to find ways to play and explore according to their own interests and developmental ability. I think that this playground is really a “diamond in the rough” to the community in Chattanooga. We are so used to the Blue Cross Healthy Place in Highland Park, the Pumpkin Park, and the Imagination Station that this great park in Fort Oglethorpe goes undiscovered from many in Tennessee. It is certainly one that Chattanooga locals should try out if you are looking for a new place to play and explore!
On April 6th, 2021 the city of East Ridge began the demolition on the well loved wooden Pioneer Frontier Park with plans to build a new playground and splash pad with a $1,000,000 budget. The original wooden castle park was built in 1994 and served the city for 27 years. The new Playcore playground was under construction for a year and was completed on April 2nd, 2022.
I’ve gone on before in my Scramble Alley and *New* St. Elmo Park about how much I love wooden castle parks because of the imaginary worlds that are easily created and explored. I feel the same about the original Pioneer Frontier Park, but that isn’t the focus of this review. The new park has some pretty awesome features, including:
Multiple swings
Monkey bars
One of those circular “tire” swings
A kids aged 2-5 section with monkey bars, swings, and a small play structure
A roller bar slide
A bridge section above the main play structure entrance
Tower with two tall, windy slides
A contemporary designed rope bridge
A merry go round with rope seats
A calisthenic workout area
A splash pad to be opened in summer (will update when opened)
There are some parts of the play structure that resemble the plastic play structure at the Imagination Station in Collegedale. My kids greatly anticipated the grand opening of this playground and have enjoyed playing here when we have come. If you have a scooter, skateboard, or bike that needs some roll time, there is a small track around the playground.
Now that the weather is warming up, it seems appropriate to create a list of our favorite hiking trails in the area. While my kids are little (3 and 5, well we have a baby too, but she can’t really walk yet), they are pretty used to long hikes. I’ve created a tiered list of local hikes which I will be sharing in three separate posts. I’ll share some photos of each place and discuss some details about each.
The “intermediate” trails are 2 miles or longer. They are introducing steeper terrain and challenges. Their paths may be rocky and bumpy, less friendly at times to little feet and strollers, but still ultimately manageable.
Neighborhood access at end of Hiram Avenue – 1052 Hiram Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37415
Neighborhood access at end of Highridge Drive – 898 Highridge Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37405
No Access at Pine Ridge Drive – Rockslide has washed out the entrance and southern section
This trail was once well paved, but time and usage has turned it rather bumpy, but you might only notice if you are trying to maneuver a jogging stroller up the path. Due to a rockslide and trail washout, the secondary entrance to Stringers Ridge at Pine Ridge Drive is closed. The “official” entrance is at the Spears Avenue Trailhead, however, there are two “neighborhood” access points with “no parking” allowed: (1) at the end of Hiram Avenue and (2) at the end of Highridge Drive. The Cherokee Trail has a beautiful scenic overlook for views of Northshore, Downtown, and Missionary Ridge.
Racoon Mountain – Electric Avenue 1 : 3.4 miles, out and back, mostly flat
3800 Raccoon Mountain Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37419
Racoon Mountain is well known for its mountain biking trails, which usually means steep inclines. If you are looking for a level terrain with a clear path, then you’ll want to “rock down to Electric Avenue”. This path is easily accessible from the parking lot by the Racoon Mountain Chattanooga Overlook. We took the path all the way to the road and walked back to the car on the one-way reservoir road that runs all the way around the water. There aren’t many cars that take the road, it is a safe way to travel if you want to avoid the trail on the way back or simply want a new perspective.
Enterprise South – Poe Run Trail to Hidden Lake : 3.8 miles, out and back, flat (Poe Run Trail) small hills (Hidden Lake Trail)
190 Still Hollow Loop, Chattanooga, TN 37416
This is the Hidden Lake extension of the Poe Run Trail mentioned above. Poe Run is a mostly flat path, but once you hook up with the Hidden Lake trail the path starts to take an incline up to the Hidden Lake. It is slightly more strenuous and adds close to two more miles to the round trip, but we think that it is worth it, if you are up to it. The first time we took this trail I just accidentally happened upon the lake, and it was a pleasant surprise. We spent time skipping stones in the water and looking at all the wildlife around the lake.
South Chickamauga Creek Greenway – Faith Rd. to Sterchi Farms : 4.4 miles, out and back, mostly flat, slightly hilly in middle on the boardwalk
3650 Faith Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37406
I really enjoy this path, it runs along the South Chickamauga Creek and the railway system in the area. There are multiple railway crossing points where the path goes underneath the rail. It is really something when a train comes barreling down the track and you are square underneath it! About one mile down the path from the Faith Road Trailhead the path transitions into a wooden walkway on the hillside along the creek. It is a fun place to walk, run, or bike. You’ll pass underneath Bonny Oaks Road and come across some memorabilia for the Historic Trail of Tears before reaching a midway stopping point at Sterchi Farms on Harrison Pike. There is a covered sitting area and bathrooms. We stop here and head back to Faith Road, however, like a choose your own adventure you can continue down the greenway to the North Hawthorne Trailhead or take it all the way to the connection with the Tennessee Riverwalk and go to the Chickamauga Dam, Downtown, or now even St. Elmo.
Make sure to tag @papanooga on social media if you share photos of your adventures online!
Now that the weather is warming up, it seems appropriate to create a list of our favorite hiking trails in the area. While my kids are little (3 and 5, well we have a baby too, but she can’t really walk yet), they are pretty used to long hikes. I’ve created a tiered list of local hikes which I will be sharing in three separate posts. I’ll share some photos of each place and discuss some details about each.
The “easy” trails are flat or mostly flat with some slight changes in elevation. They are two-miles or less. In addition, their paths are clear and accessible for little feet and even strollers.
Blue Blazes Trail : 1.5 miles, loop, flat
409 Moccasin Bend Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37405
This short, flat loop trail is located in the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District. It loops towards the Tennessee River and finds its way going parallel to the Moccasin Bend Golf Course on its way back towards the parking area. There are some spots with significant mud, or as my 3-year old calls it “Mega Mud”, however most of these spots have a “walking bridge” (wooden walkway going over the swampy/muddy areas. Depending on the weather prior to your trip, there may be muddy spots not protected by a walkway, just beware.
This short, slightly hilly trail is located right behind the visitors centers at Enterprise South Nature Park. This trail provides some literary entertainment along the way! It connects with the Sunshine trail to extend it for more adventuring! After a short nature walk and reading time the path finds its way right back to the parking lot behind the visitors center.
Enterprise South – Poe Run Trail : 2 miles, out and back, flat
190 Still Hollow Loop, Chattanooga, TN 37416
This short, flat trail starts at the parking area to the left of the visitors center at Enterprise South Nature Center. Along the path you will find multiple bunkers along the way. On occasion they are open and you can wander around inside, enjoying the dramatic echoes of footsteps, or on top of them. The Poe Run trail ends when you encounter the second cross road, at this point it becomes the Hidden Lake Trail, more on this extension below.
Glen Falls Trail : 2 miles, out and back, slight hills
Ochs Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37409 between Sanders Road and Ochs Highway turnoffs
This is a great trail with slightly rocky and “root-y” terrain. It starts going on a slightly downward incline and continues rolling up and down the rest of the way. When you get to the bridge and water pool you are about halfway to the falls. At the falls you can climb in the rocks to get a higher point of view or walk along or inside the stream to get to the falls. We enjoy walking in the steam and exploring the top of the falls. The journey does come to an end when you end up at the “big bend” in Ochs Highway, but it’s a fun, easy hike with some water play options too.
Make sure to tag @papanooga on social media if you share photos of your adventures online!
This morning was just beautiful outside and I decided to take my kids on a hike I have long been wanting to try out. I made breakfast, packed my “Papa Pack” full of diapers, wipes, snacks, and plenty of water. We hopped in the car, cranked up some India.Arie, and trekked out to the Pot Point trailhead just outside of Chattanooga near Prentice Cooper.
At this trailhead there are a few different trails options, but we went for the Pot Point Nature Trail. It is a 3.7 mile loop, which is a little long for nature trails in my opinion, but oh well. I learned from the trail map that there was a campsite about halfway and I’m very thankful that it’s there. When taking little people (aged 5, 3, and 1) on a long hike, a midway point to rest and play is an absolute necessity.
We started at the trail map side of the loop, however you can start across the street at the wooden walking path leading to the Tennessee River. Ultimately, the trail goes up and then back down the mountainside no matter which way you begin. Although, I think starting at the hillside, trail map end of the loop is probably best. You get the uphill part over with at the beginning of the hike when you (and your little people) have lots of energy and excitement.
We stopped along the way to rest a bit, drink some water, and look at mossy rocks. Just when you think the midway campsite is going to be around the next bend, it isn’t. Along the path you will see little poles with numbers engraved on the top. You might find yourself wondering that purpose they serve. There is nothing on the trail map mentioning them. They aren’t distance markers. I’m not certain what their purpose is. Although when you see post #10, the trail gets flat, you can see the top of the mountain clearly, and there are lots of massive boulders you are almost there.
There is a little exploration trail called Boulder Trail and it reminds me of The Hobbit, this terrible PC game from 2003 based on the story of J. R. R. Tolkien’s story. There is this section on the game when you sneak around big stinky trolls to steal their mutton or something like that. Well, these massive boulders remind me of the many “adventures” I took and hours I invested into this game when I was 10. Might be kind of cool to reenact this with an imaginary game with your kiddos if they are familiar with the story, or even if they aren’t.
When you’re at the top, take some time to rest at one of the three campsites. Host a talent show on the camping platforms. Enjoy the beautiful views. You will have sacrificed much to get to this point with your little people.
The hike back just continues on the trail, but this time down the mountain. The trail crosses the River Canyon Road on its way down to the Tennessee River. The section at the bottom by the river is pretty swampy and muddy at times, so either wear hiking boots that can handle that or just plan on getting muddy moccasins and soggy socks.
There are a couple nice “pull-offs” along the river section of the trail for a dip in the water or skipping stones, including another campsite, but this time on the river bank.
The trail then leads to the River Canyon Road and you’ll need to walk on the road for maybe a quarter of a mile before a new trail emerges leading back into the woods. Although, you can stay on the road and follow that back to the parking area, but I recommend getting back on the trail. This final section of the trail is beautiful. You will find the Butterfly Meadow, a beautiful, flat section right along the river with lush grasses and wildflowers covered in butterflies.
The journey back to the parking area is easy from the Butterfly Meadow following the trail and a wooden walkway over some swampy areas.
It’s a very nice trail for a long outing.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The ascent up the top of mountain might be tough for little legs (or bigger legs too). The campsite area and the Boulder Trail is great for rest, exploration, and imaginary play and the spots on the river section a good getting your feet wet and skipping stones.
We spent a total of four hours on the hike, but we did take our time along the way. Which is probably best if you are heading out with kiddos.
If you try out this trail make sure to tag @papanooga on Instagram or Facebook to share your adventures.
My 5-year old took this photo. Call NatGeo we got a prodigy.
We are all about getting out and exploring the great outdoors. Take your kids on a hike, a walk, on an art crawl around Southside, Glass Street, Montague Park, or the Riverview Art District. Take your kids to explore downtown or Northshore. Just get out and go, but be prepared.
Little legs get tired and then the little bodies get whiny. Sometimes, the little legs aren’t able to walk yet. So, what do you do?
Baby carrier or stroller? Let’s break this down.
Baby Carrier
We have used three different baby carriers with our three kids: WildBird sling, SollyBaby wrap, and Ergo baby carrier. My preference is the Ergo. However, the SollyBaby is the runner up, but only for newborns. The SollyBaby is the better option for newborns because it holds them tight and close, but it has a weight limit as your baby gets older (around 25 pounds). I’ve found it yanks uncomfortably on your sides and begins to stretch out as your baby gets past 6 months.
We have had and used the Ergo almost daily for six years. The Ergo 360 is amazing because you can wear them in front or, as they get older, on your back. The Ergo 360 can hold up to 50 lbs. Which according to the internet is an average 6 year old! It is designed well with support straps that spread out of the weight of your little tanker truck so as not to cause discomfort.
Carriers are also great for getting stuff done around the house. Pop your little potato in the carrier and wash some dishes, make a meal, stand and fold laundry, sweep, vacuum, mop, whatever! There are times when my kids make it impossible to get anything done around the house (I know that absolutely NONE of you can relate) and the only way to make it work is turning on some showtime for the two bigger kids and popping the baby in the carrier.
Whatever carrier you chose, you will also benefit from the all-loving snuggle nap. The gentle sway of your walking combined with the warm embrace of the carrier will almost guarantee that your kid will fall asleep. There have been seasons of our parenting with all three of our kids when I have gone out on a walk with the sole purpose of having my kid nap. I began to start reading while walking and was able to power through over fifty books every year from 2018-2020, but then the world changed and life got more complicated. Anyways…carrier naps can be a life saver.
Stroller
For some people the go-to is a stroller. Which is totally get, less stress on the body, a little easier to get out and go, and the STORAGE! You’ve got the whole gamut of strollers from $20 umbrella strollers that I associate more with a child pushing around a babydoll to the $8,000 Silver Cross Surf Aston Martin made in collaboration with the luxury car brand Aston Martin. Just as some people are obsessive about the color and type of their baby carrier, you find staunch defenders of “this” stroller or “that” stroller.
We didn’t even have a stroller until our second kid was six months old. We just made it work with an Ergo 360 and occasionally a tricycle with a push bar. The type we got was a BOB single jogging stroller. It’s great for long walks when I had both kids, the littlest was in the carrier and the older one in the stroller. It’s nice because it has that little footrest that another kid can sit in and you can squeak out a fake double stroller with your single. Obviously, it’s great for taking on a run.
There are some downsides to a stroller. First, they are big and if you don’t have a garage like us then you have a storage problem. We tried leaving it just on our covered porch, but that didn’t work out. So, we have resolved to just leave it in the trunk of the car rendering our trunk entirely useless. Second, if you are using a jogging stroller with the front wheel locking feature, make sure that you actually lock the front wheel when going for a run. One day I took my kids out, the oldest was biking and I was running with the middle child just sitting in the stroller. Well, unknown to me he had unbuckled himself and I had forgotten to lock the front wheel. Well, long story short… a speed bump flipped the stroller over and sent my son flying through the air like a t-shirt from one of those cannons at a New York Knicks game. Talk about a very “middle child” situation.
Summary
It’s probably a little obvious that I prefer a baby carrier, but it should also be known that my kids are young enough that the carrier is mostly all we need. The only times I use the stroller is for a run, which usually is with my oldest son who is riding his bike, and when I have all three kids with me on a walk. In this case, my baby is in the carrier, middle kid in the stroller, and oldest on the bike.
Last week I wrote a post about my feelings regarding the demolition of the St. Elmo wooden playground to make way for the new Blue Cross Healthy Place playground. You should read the post, but suffice to say, I am not happy.
To my knowledge there are now only two wooden playgrounds in Hamilton County and Scramble Alley is one of them. The wooden playground on Lookout, in St. Elmo and in East Ridge were considered “dangerous” and were all replaced with plastic structures, however, this one in Soddy Daisy isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon. There is a small wooden plaque with an engraving of the year 1995. If this park was actually built in 1995, it is in amazing condition. It is pristine, primeaux, that good good!
My boys and I went with a friend and his kids to Scramble Alley on the last snowy day of the winter of 2022. It looked like what a Hogwarts winter would be if the construction wizards chose wood as the chief material instead of magical stone. We started out gingerly walking around the structure carefully, so as not to slip and fall, but before long a massive snowball fight ensued. Now, bear in mind we are talking two fully grown, adult men and four children aged 2, 3, 4, and 5. So, maybe “massive” isn’t the best adjective, but it gets the point across.
Although this would be an ideal location for a paintball, airsoft battle, or at the very least capture the flag. (Probably don’t do the gun battle thing because it is probably illegal and the Soddy Daisy police station is right across the field.) There are wooden castle turrets, tunnels, slides, bridges, and more. It is very similar to the old wooden playground at Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee where I grew up. My mom would work with fitness clients around the running track while their kids and I would pretend to be jedi knights saving the day….Ah… memories… Well, where was I, it has:
Wooden turrets
Tunnels
Slides
Bridges
Swings (regular and baby)
Multiple monkey bars
Short zip line
Bouncy bridge
Stairs. Lots and lots of stairs.
I found it on Yelp and decided that I was going to find the perfect day for the drive all the way out to Soddy Daisy to play on a playground. Man, was it worth it. HIGHLY recommend this playground for chase games, imagination play, and general jubilation.
One day last summer when my wife and I went on a walk with our son and daughter down the Virginia Avenue Greenway from the Sawasee Thai Restaurant to the St. Elmo Park to play. To our dismay, there wasn’t a playground anymore. The playground was taken down due to safety concerns and the new playground is now completed.
Here are some of the features that your little monkey might enjoy:
Curved climbing wall
Monkey bars
Obstacle course
Swing area
Fitness center
Age 2-5 play zone
Green space on the grave of the old St. Elmo Park
While it is exciting that there is now a play space in the St. Elmo neighborhood again, I miss the old wooden park. It matched the whole vibe of St. Elmo. It had that long metal slide. It had a giant tire half submerged in the ground. It was a freaking tree house for goodness sake. This new park is just a smaller, less interesting version of the Blue Cross Healthy Place at Highland Park.
I understand there may be laws and regulations about the construction of wooden playgrounds these days. It may come down to environmental impact or cost, but I just don’t see old school wooden playgrounds made anymore. Which is a bummer because my most vivid childhood playground memories (aside from that one time I pooped my pants on the slide in preschool) are on wooden castle playgrounds. I remember pretending to be a jedi or a ninja, running, hiding, stick-sword fighting, jumping, and all the wonderful things that children do. These are the experiences our children deserve and I’ve found my own kids are more likely to imagine and play more openly on wooden playgrounds, for whatever reason.
I’m glad that the former entryway was kept. It helps someone like myself who fondly remembers what it used to be.
My oldest son loves to bike. He has been riding a wheeled contraption of some sort since before he could walk. I would push him in a tricycle, then when he was about two he started pedaling on his own. On his third birthday we got him this wicked pink bike with training wheels and after his 4th birthday he was cruising without the training wheels. Now at five he has put close to 1,000 riding hours on the sick pink bike. We have explored all over Chattanooga and have narrowed down our top 5 favorite places to bike.
1. Chattown Skatepark (1801 Reggie White Blvd. Chattanooga, TN 37408)
This is by far our favorite place to bike in Chattanooga. Even before my son could ride a bike without training wheels we would hit up the skatepark sometimes on the weekends, but now that he can shred without training wheels we go as much as we can. My son loves to take flight like Elliott from E.T. on the ramps in the middle. He also likes to ride on the side on the larger ramps on the edges of the park. I picked up skateboarding since we started coming and am working on my own skills. Although, my 5-year old is way cooler and far more extreme than I could ever hope to be. A word to the wise: get there earlier rather than later to avoid most of the other skaters. It can get pretty packed and dangerous for a kid later in the day.
The trails on Stringer’s Ridge are too advanced for my kids, but they love the pump track at the foot of the trailhead. There are two tracks, the top one is a beginner loop and the bottom track is a more advanced track. There are gentle bumps to pop wheelies on and some large jumps on the advanced track that he likes to take flight on. My son also liked to ride at top speed down the path from the bathrooms and slide out at the bottom. Our first trip we spent 3+ hours here shredding and sweating.
3. Enterprise South Nature Park (190 Still Hollow Loop Chattanooga, TN 37416)
There are admittedly lots of trails at Enterprise South that my kindergartener can’t do quite yet, but here is one path he loves. We start at the first parking lot by the Visitor’s Center and take the Poe Run Path to the Hidden Lake Trail. There is this cool pond at the top that we like to play make believe games at or just explore around. It’s about a 4-mile round trip. Don’t forget the water and snacks. The park closes at 6, so make sure to be out before then.
4. South Chickamauga Creek Greenway (Faith Road Trailhead-3710 Faith Road Chattanooga, TN 37406)
This section of the greenway is great. It goes right alongside the South Chickamauga Creek and has some beautiful views and there is a .75 mile section on a raised wooden path on the side of a large hill. If you start at the Faith Road Trailhead and need a good stopping point you have a covered sitting area with bathrooms at Sterchi Farms about 2 miles down the trail. We usually turn around at this point, but you can keep going towards the Tennessee River and connect with the Riverwalk at the Amnicola Trailhead.
5. Riverwalk (Downtown-430 E Second St. Chattanooga, TN 37403)
We have explored every part of the classic Riverwalk from the Chickamauga Dam to the Wheland Foundry Station, but my son’s favorite section is the downtown section from the docking site of the Southern Belle under Highway 27 to the Sculpture Gardens in the Art District. He especially loves the zigzag section under the Walnut Street Bridge leading up to the Hunter Museum.
If you hit up one of these places don’t forget to tag Papanooga on social media. I would love to see you and your niños on some sweet adventures.
