Southeast - Chickamauga bike ride

There is a ride at the Chickamauga Battlefield Park August 22. I'm going cuz my sweetie who is not a rider wants us to. I figure it will be a good way to get her into the sport since it will be a cruiser-type event. Afterward, I want to do some more riding. Has anybody ridden out there and can I go off-road?

Is this an organized event? If so, got a linky?

There may be a dirt/gravel road or two where you can go "off road" but as far as I know bikes are prohibited on the trails there. Horses are sometimes allowed. There are usually signs posted.

http://www.nps.gov/chch/planyourvisit/upload/chickamaugamap.pdf

I saw it in Bicycling Magazine last month, but I'm not aware of a like unless it's on their site. I couldn't find it on the Park's website, so I called. The number is 706-866-9241. The ride starts at the Park Headquarters at 9:30 AM Saturday August 22. It's 7-10 miles and will be led by a Ranger who will act as a guide. Not much cardio, but I have other motives for doing this. Hopefully, I'll get my cardio in later that day.

It sounds like a historical tour--something I'd be interested in if it weren't so far away.

The Battlefield's pretty flat. If you ride around the thing by yourself it's probably about 8 miles. Don't know about this organized ride -- years ago, the Chattanooga Bike club used to have quite a few rides that started there, but I don't know now. It's still a really nice peaceful place to ride. Hey, you're just about 10 miles or so south of Chatt. there, why not come up and ride our riverwalk. It's also a pretty easy ride. And you can park below the Chickamauga Dam (Just make it a whole Chickamauga thing) and ride down across the Walnut St. bridge and back and get in about 16 miles. Best of luck with that cardio thing!

Thanks Ol Danl, I may do that. I'm coming from Alabama and am about 3 hours away, so we might as well do as much as we can.

I think I may be doing this ride on Saturday. Doing the ride and then going into Chattanooga for their beer tasting festival.

Rats AMFJ. I did the ride but didn't know about the beer tasting or we would have done that too.

:(. Did a lot of riding in the area and drank a Fat Tire Ale afterwards tho. Did you do the ride?

No we got a real late start from Tuscaloosa and didn't make it to the ride


The beer tasting was pretty good though. About 30 local breweries and some good music in downtown Chattanooga. it was a good time.