Keep An Eye On the Tri-State

One of the South Cumberland region’s lesser-known outdoor recreation opportunities is Franklin State Forest, which straddles the border of Marion and Franklin Counties about 45 miles west of Chattanooga. Originally named Franklin-Marion State Forest, today it’s commonly referred to simply as Franklin Forest, and following a couple of additions in recent years, now covers around 8,800 acres.

The Tennessee Placemaking Partnership assists small and/or rural communities in southeast Tennessee as they evolve their project-based placemaking work into longer-term community-wide strategies for social and economic prosperity.

If you’re looking for a place to enjoy the outdoors relatively close to home, Chickamauga Battlefield, located in North Georgia and about 10 miles south of downtown Chattanooga, may be a good option for a quiet and fairly easy hike, as well as other forms of outdoor recreation.

Located off the beaten path in the southwest corner of Bradley County and just a few miles from Apison, Red Clay State Historic Park offers an opportunity to learn about the region’s Native American history while providing a peaceful setting in which to experience nature.

Fall Creek Falls State Park, located on the Cumberland Plateau about 75 miles north of Chattanooga, is one of Tennessee’s largest and most visited state parks.

The Interstate 75/Interstate 24 interchange in Chattanooga has received an "F" from the state in terms of traffic congestion. But despite plans to spend $132.5 million in an improvement project now underway, the state expects the interchange's congestion score to only rise to a "D" by 2040.

Cyclists in Southeast Tennessee now have a new and growing network of bike routes to explore: Bikeways of the Scenic South. This network of carefully crafted road cycling routes is available at ScenicBikeways.com, and the routes include downloadable maps, turn-by-turn cue sheets, notable points of interest, conveniences, and descriptive narratives of what to expect along the routes.

Telecommuting offers alternative to driving to work and could lesson congestion on interstates. But it requires internet access and affordability in local communities.