The best place to paddle board in Chattanooga is the downtown riverfront: launch at Coolidge Park, rent a board right at the ramp, and paddle under the Walnut Street Bridge past the Tennessee Aquarium and the bluffs. For something wilder, paddle into the Tennessee River Gorge from the Suck Creek boat ramp, a forested canyon just west of the city.
Chattanooga works for paddling because the Tennessee River runs straight through it and is dammed above and below town, so through town it’s a wide, slow river most of the time rather than a wild one. The city also sits on the Tennessee River Blueway, a roughly 50-mile paddling trail from the Chickamauga Dam area to Nickajack Lake, with calmer lake water on Chickamauga Lake just upstream and quiet creeks feeding in.
Quick answer
- First time on a board: downtown from Coolidge Park with an L2 Outside rental, staying in the downtown and Maclellan Island area.
- Most scenic: the Tennessee River Gorge, launching at Suck Creek.
- Big, calm lake water: Chickamauga Lake at Booker T. Washington or Harrison Bay state parks.
- Quiet creek paddle: North Chickamauga Creek at Greenway Farm in Hixson.
- Avoid: the river on days with high flow or strong current, and anywhere near barges.
The best places to paddle board in Chattanooga
Downtown riverfront from Coolidge Park
Directions
Best for: beginners with a guide or rental, city views, sunset paddles. Big river with mild current.
This is Chattanooga’s signature paddle. From Coolidge Park on the North Shore you can paddle under the Market Street and Walnut Street bridges, along the white bluffs below the Bluff View Art District and the Hunter Museum, past Ross’s Landing and the Tennessee Aquarium, and upstream to Maclellan Island, a wooded wildlife sanctuary in the middle of the river.
Where to launch: Coolidge Park’s public ramp sits directly under the Market Street Bridge. There’s paid parking at Coolidge Park and Renaissance Park; get there early on summer weekends.
Rentals and lessons: L2 Outside (100 River Street, in Coolidge Park) rents paddle boards from the ramp under the Market Street Bridge, with a paddle, leash and life jacket with whistle included. Hourly rentals were $30 for one hour and $40 for two at the time of writing, for use in the downtown and Maclellan Island area only. It also runs guided sunset tours and offers 24-hour rentals to take elsewhere. Rentals run roughly April to October, as weather and river speed allow, and L2 requires children under 13 to share a board with an adult.
Good to know: The current changes with releases from TVA’s Chickamauga Dam upstream. Paddle upstream first, so the current helps you home. Commercial barges and tour boats use this stretch of river; give them a very wide berth, and stay close to shore and out of the main channel.
The Tennessee River Gorge from Suck Creek
Directions
Best for: experienced paddlers and scenic day trips. Big river through a canyon, with current and wind.
West of downtown, the river bends around Moccasin Bend and cuts through the Cumberland Plateau in the Tennessee River Gorge, sometimes called Tennessee’s Grand Canyon. The gorge section of the Tennessee River Blueway is about 26 miles long.
Where to launch: The Tennessee River Gorge Trust lists the Suck Creek boat ramp, at river mile 453.3, as the first public launch in the gorge. The next ramps downstream are at the Raccoon Mountain pump station (mile 444.4, south side, 8.9 miles on), Sullivan’s Landing (mile 440.0), Bennett Lake (mile 432.5) and Hales Bar Marina (mile 431.0). On a board, an out-and-back from Suck Creek is the simplest trip; a one-way paddle to Raccoon Mountain needs a car shuttle.
Good to know: River flow in the gorge depends on TVA releases from Chickamauga Dam upstream and Nickajack Dam downstream, so check the schedules before you go. There are long stretches with no road access, so carry water, a phone in a dry bag and a life jacket you actually wear. The Tennessee River Gorge Trust has run guided kayak trips from Suck Creek; check its events page.
Chickamauga Lake: Booker T. Washington and Harrison Bay state parks
Directions
Best for: calm-water paddling, families, practicing. Flat lake water, with boat traffic on summer weekends.
Chickamauga Lake is the TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River just upstream of Chickamauga Dam. Two state parks give you easy, free-entry access to its shore.
Where to launch: Booker T. Washington State Park (5801 Champion Road, Chattanooga) is a 400-acre park on the lake on the city’s northeast side, with a boat ramp you can launch from. Farther upstream, Harrison Bay State Park (8411 Harrison Bay Road, Harrison) covers 1,200 acres of shoreline and lists paddling, a marina and boat ramps among its amenities. Launch away from the ramps’ busy lanes and paddle into the coves.
Good to know: Weekends bring powerboats and wakes. Go early, and keep to the coves and shoreline. Hamilton County’s Chester Frost Park, on a peninsula on the lake in Hixson, has a swimming beach and boat ramps too.
North Chickamauga Creek at Greenway Farm
DirectionsBest for: a quiet, sheltered paddle and families. Slow creek water.
North Chickamauga Creek runs into the Tennessee River just below Chickamauga Dam. Its lower reach is wide and flat, and Greenway Farm, a 180-acre city park in Hixson, sits right on its banks.
Where to launch: Greenway Farm (4960 Gann Store Road, Hixson) has three canoe access points along the creek. Launch at one, paddle upstream as far as feels comfortable, and float back.
Good to know: The park also has 6 miles of trails and an off-leash dog park. After heavy rain the creek rises and gets muddy and fast, so check the weather.
When to go
Chattanooga’s paddling season runs from spring to fall, with summer the busiest.
- April to October: the rental season downtown. Summers are hot and humid, so paddle early or at sunset.
- Summer afternoons: thunderstorms pop up often. Get off the water when you hear thunder.
- Spring and after big rain: the river runs higher and faster, and debris floats down from upstream. Check flows before you go.
- Fall: cooler air and fewer boats.
Our wetsuit check helps you decide what to wear on cooler spring and fall days, and the Trip time calculator estimates how long a gorge paddle will take at your pace.
Rules and safety in Chattanooga
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency sets the rules for paddle craft, including paddle boards:
- Life jacket: keep an approved, wearable life jacket readily accessible for each person, on the board rather than tied to it. Children under 13 must wear one while underway, and drifting counts as underway. Inflatable life jackets aren’t approved for anyone under 16. See our pick of the best PFDs for SUP.
- After dark: you must be able to show a white light or lantern after sunset or in poor visibility.
- Sound device: carry a whistle. The Tennessee River is a federal navigation channel, and it’s the simplest way to signal a barge or boat.
A few local rules and habits on top of that:
- Barges always win. Commercial tows can’t stop or turn quickly. Stay well clear, and never paddle in front of one.
- Check the dams. TVA publishes release schedules for Chickamauga and Nickajack dams; more water released means faster current downtown and in the gorge.
- Wear a leash on the lake, and use a quick-release leash or none where there’s current and debris.
FAQ
Where can beginners paddle board in Chattanooga?
Start downtown with an L2 Outside rental at Coolidge Park on a calm, low-flow day, paddling upstream toward Maclellan Island and back. For flatter water with no current, try Chickamauga Lake at Booker T. Washington State Park or North Chickamauga Creek at Greenway Farm.
Can you paddle board on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga?
Yes. The downtown riverfront and the Tennessee River Gorge are both popular. Watch for barges and boats, and check TVA’s dam releases, which change the current.
Do I need a permit to paddle board in Chattanooga?
No. Tennessee doesn’t require you to register a paddle board you own; only businesses that rent them need a state permit. Downtown parking at Coolidge Park is paid.
Where can I rent a paddle board in Chattanooga?
L2 Outside rents boards by the hour at Coolidge Park, under the Market Street Bridge, from about April to October. It also offers 24-hour rentals if you want to paddle somewhere else.
Can I bring my dog paddle boarding in Chattanooga?
Calm water is best for a dog, so try Chickamauga Lake or North Chickamauga Creek rather than the busy downtown river. Read how to paddle board with a dog before your first trip together.
Not sure what board to bring for big-river paddling? Our Board Fitter recommends a size for your weight and the water you’ll paddle, and our guide to the best conditions for paddle boarding explains how wind and current affect you.
