America's First 'National Park City' Is A Scenic Southern Gem With Trails, River Views, And Lush Green Spaces

In April of 2025, Chattanooga, Tennessee, was crowned America's first-ever National Park City, a title that recognizes its efforts toward creating a greener, healthier, and more culturally rich urban environment. It's the first city in North America and the third city in the world to earn this distinction, joining ranks with London, England, and Adelaide, Australia, also celebrated for their access to nature, green spaces, outdoor activity culture, environmental stewardship, and sustainable development efforts. The distinction is awarded by the National Parks Foundation, a U.K.-based nonprofit organization.

Brush up on your Chattanooga history, and you'll realize what an accomplishment this is for the city. Just short of six decades ago, it was the most polluted city in the country, thanks to a dense industrial base and poor emissions regulation. By the late 1960s, perpetually hazy skies and rampant pollution-related illnesses drove concerned citizens, lawmakers, and industry leaders to come together and embark on a long-term plan for cleaning up the city. In addition to enforcing strict air pollution regulations, over the following decades, the city invested in revitalizing urban areas such as the popular riverfront area downtown and developing more than 70 neighborhood and community parks.

All those years of hard work paid off. What Walter Cronkite once referred to as the "dirtiest city" is today better known as Tennessee's "Scenic City." Now, the cleaner air gives way to stunning views of the surrounding natural landscape, including mountains, rivers, and lakes, of which Chattanoogans are so proud. In an official video announcing the National Park City designation, Mayor Tim Kelly said the outdoors was Chattanooga's "competitive advantage" and the core of the city's identity. "We've always known how special Chattanooga's connection to the outdoors is, and now it'll be recognized around the world," Kelly said.

The mayor, along with the head of Chattanooga's Department of Parks and Outdoors (DPO), Scott Marin, spearheaded the movement to earn Chattanooga this special distinction starting in late 2023. The application process involved joining together thousands of residents, community leaders, and businesses to launch a National Park City Charter that worked to define and refine the city's vision and gather support.

The process required submission of an online portfolio, or "Journey Book," outlining how the city met the set of 23 criteria the National Parks Foundation uses to assess a city's candidacy. That was followed by a lengthy review process and finally, designation. "During our peer review we saw first-hand the extraordinary breadth and depth of engagement with the Chattanooga National Park City vision informed by outstanding experts in design, ecology, culture and arts," said Allison Barnes, a trustee of the foundation (via National Park City Foundation).

If you're itching to see what the buzz is about, get planning — and make sure you have enough time. There's so much to do in and around Tennessee's fourth-largest city. The Riverwalk is a popular attraction and a great place to start to get to know Chattanooga. Stroll, skate, or cycle all 16 miles along the Tennessee River, or just do the downtown stretch. Take a detour up to Bluff View Art District to survey the scenery from above, including the historic Walnut Street Bridge with its bright blue trusses. Stop into the Hunter Museum of American Art before making your way back down to see some sea life at the Tennessee Aquarium — consistently rated one of the best aquariums in the country.

Next, explore Chattanooga's wilder side. Within a 15-minute drive, you can reach more than 150 miles of hiking trails. But you don't have to go far. Just 2 miles from downtown, Stringer's Ridge offers 92 acres of hiking, trail running, and mountain biking and is a favorite locals spot. You can also take a short drive up to the visitor-favorite Point Park just above the Lookout Mountain Battlefield for beautiful city views. Or, a 20-minute drive takes you to Signal Mountain, where you can hike or bike one of many trails, including the 5.1-mile trail to Edwards Point with its sweeping views of the Tennessee River Gorge. Cool off after with a dip in Rainbow Lake, then head back into town to refuel and check out Chattanooga's thriving food scene featuring everything from Southern barbecue to fine dining.