Road Running in Chattanooga, TN

On any given day in Chattanooga, swarms of runners can be seen pounding pavement and taking advantage of the diverse topography of downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. Home to a wide variety of road races, ranging from friendly 5K's to full marathons, as well as home to the venerable Chattanooga Track Club, the road running community in the Scenic City is only growing.

By far one of the city's favorite destinations for road running is the Chattanooga Riverwalk. This roughly 8-mile pedestrian pathway stretches from Ross' Landing in downtown all the way to the Chickamauga Dam, offering priceless views of the Tennessee River the entire way. It's flat, scenic, and frequently teeming with other runners, walkers, and cyclists. And with multiple access points and parking areas, it's easy to tailor a run to any distance, short or long.

Perhaps equally popular is the route along "The Bridges." Comprised of Market Street Bridge, Veteran's Bridge, and the pedestrian-only Walnut Street Bridge, this experience is adored by local runners. No matter what bridge variation, travel direction, or time of day, there's always something to love about running the bridges—namely the excellent views of the city, the river, and the mountains and plateaus beyond.