Distance: Approx 3.5 miles

Trail Type: Mostly Single Track

Difficulty: Easy

Location: Booker T Washington State Park

Directions: Go east on Hwy 58 from Hwy 157.  Watch for the brown signs to Booker T Washington State Park soon after the main business district.  Take a left on Champion Rd, follow it around to the right and turn left into the park.  Go past the first parking area on your right to the second area down the hill by the lake.  The trail starts at the far end of this lot.  As with many State Parks there is a $3 fee.

Trail Description: This trail is for those of you who can’t stand to run on the road, but don’t have a lot of time to be traveling to a trail.  It’s close by, but it feels remote.  The trail is mostly narrow single track and has lots of dips and short steep climbs.  The trail is not that long – some say 3.5 miles, but it is interesting enough that you could run it 3 or 4 times without getting bored.  There are plenty of twists and turns, but really only one trail to follow without running into the lake or a road, so you can’t get lost.  The view of the lake is spectacular – most of the trail follows along the bank of Chickamauga Lake, sometimes close enough to jump in.

Cherie Touchette

Personal Trainer