Chattanooga: Signal Point, Edwards Point and Mushroom Rock

This is an out and back hike mainly along the top of the gorge above the Tennessee River.  The strenuous sections are short, but there are several miles of rocky footing along the sides of some of the branch gorges.  We will have several spots with outstanding views of the gorges, the Tennessee River and Chattanooga.  We also have some rock formations, nice streams and waterfalls, and a couple of swinging bridges.

We start at Signal Point, at the beginning of the Cumberland Trail, which goes from there all the way to the Cumberland Gap where TN, KY and VA meet.  We go up the Middle Creek gorge for a just over a mile, descend, cross and come back the other side.  There we will stop for lunch at Edwards Point, which is a big flat rock over the Tennessee River where we can look back across to Signal Point where we started. 

Then we go along the top of the Suck Creek gorge for just over three miles to Mushroom Rock.  We descend from there for a half mile to visit the 225 foot long swinging bridge over North Suck Creek.  This is our turn around point and we go back the way we came.

We will go at a moderate pace, and fast hikers should be aware that there will be mandatory stops where we will wait for the slower people.  That said, this is by no means an easy hike, and the trip leaders may remove people who do not have recent D-5 experience.

After the hike we will have dinner at the India Mahal Restaurant on Brainerd Rd in Chattanooga.

This is an all day event.  The targeted time to be back at the park and ride is 10 PM, but this cannot be guaranteed.

Use 100 Signal Point Rd, Signal Mtn TN 37377 if you have a GPS.

Your destination is Signal Point National Park in the town of Signal Mountain, TN

Go North on I-75 (crossing into TN) for 85 miles.

Merge left onto I-24 West at Exit 2 toward Chattanooga.

After six miles merge right onto US-27 North at exit 178 toward Downtown.

After four miles merge onto Signal Mtn Rd US-127 North toward Signal Mtn.

Make a pit stop at the Burger King about a half mile on the right at 676 Signal Mtn Rd, Chattanooga.

After another half mile or so turn slightly left onto Signal Mtn Blvd to stay on US-127 North. This is the road that will take us up the mountain to the town of Signal Mountain.

After one mile make a hard left off of US-127 North to stay on Signal Mountain Blvd.

Following the signs to Signal Point National Park, stay on Signal Mtn Blvd for about a mile as it winds thru the town of Signal Mountain until it becomes Signal Point Road, at the end of which, you will find the parking lot.

On the way back, if you have a GPS, use 5970 Brainard Rd, Chattanooga 37421 for the India Mahal Restaurant.

If not, follow the same directions back, but after about five miles on I-24 East take Exit 184, Moore Rd.

At the bottom of the ramp turn left and go a few blocks to Brainard Rd, where you turn right.

Go a couple of miles on Brainard and you will see the India Mahal Restaurant on the right.

When you leave there, just go back the way you came on Brainard and Moore Rd’s to I-24 East and on back to the park and ride the way we came.