Aetna Mountain Trail Description
The Aetna Mountain trail system sits just a handful of miles west of downtown Chattanooga and offers eight miles of beginner-to-intermediate-friendly progressive mountain biking trails. The system features four distinct loops that can each be ridden in either direction, creating what really feels like 16 miles of riding thanks to the unique character of each trail. Phase one delivered a 2.5-mile intermediate blue loop with 435 feet of elevation change and a 1.5-mile beginner green loop with 150 feet of elevation change, while phase two mirrors this layout with roughly 100 more feet of climbing.
The trails themselves sit in an area of mature mixed deciduous forests with tons of huge rocks and boulders for riders to ride over and experience. What makes Aetna Mountain special is how the terrain shifts between steep limestone outcroppings and flowier sections, meaning the experience completely transforms depending on your direction of travel. Ride one way and you'll descend the flow before climbing the tech; turn around and a technical descent awaits, followed by a flowier climb at the end.
The entire trail system is designed to be accessible to adaptive riders, with much of the network already passable on adaptive bikes. These mountain bike-centric trails complement Chattanooga's other offerings perfectly, providing progression-focused riding while systems like Walden's Ridge deliver the advanced and double-black descents for those seeking bigger challenges.
