Plan Your Visit

Welcome to Our Campus

Set on 300+ breathtaking acres just 10 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center is part public park, part nature center, part wildlands, and all outdoor learning.

The campus is an extensive tapestry of native wetland, forest, and grassland ecosystems—representing a microcosm of regional biodiversity and offering Chattanooga-area residents unparalleled access to nature. Our 10 miles of trails connect to National Park land that leads to the top of Lookout Mountain. 

A wide, winding three-mile gravel loop can be walked, run, or bicycled, offering views of mature hardwood forests, wildflower meadows, and wetlands habitats. Check out our fun, exciting and educational nature programs and events, offered on weekends and some weekdays for people of all ages.

General Hours

Members are welcome on our campus from sunrise to sunset every day.

Our Welcome Center is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. The main gate is open and visitors are welcome during these hours. Our goal is to be financially accessible to every visitor who comes to our campus - while access is open to all, donations are welcome to help us continue our mission to reconnect people to nature. You can make a donation ahead of time here or stop by the Welcome Center during the regular office hours listed above.

Native Plant Nursery is open seasonally from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday through Saturday. You can also schedule an appointment on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Wildlife Sanctuary Open for Guided Programs

Good news! Our Wildlife Sanctuary is open to the public during guided programs. You can reserve your spot on our events page here.

Canoe and Dock Access is Back Open

Due to downed trees caused by the emerald ash borer which resulted in boardwalk damage, canoe access was temporarily closed for more than a year on our campus. We are happy to announce that we have repaired the boardwalk and access to Lookout Creek is open once again! All members have access to our canoes - please call 423-821-1160 to reserve your canoe and check that the creek levels are safe for paddling.

Kiddie Trailhead Notice

You may have noticed a new gate at the gravel parking lot across from the Kiddie Trailhead. This parking lot is used for after-hours parking or overflow parking during large events. Please do not block this gate; violators will be towed. If towed, call 423-821-1160. If the gate is closed, please proceed to the main parking lot to check in, if you don’t already have a visitor pass. If you’re a member, feel free to park in the member parking lot or the main lot.

Reciprocal Admissions Notice

At Reflection Riding, reciprocal admissions are available during regular operating hours, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. If you’re a visiting member of a reciprocal institution, just let the staff know at our Welcome Center, and they’ll be happy to help you.

What to Do on Campus

Options for outdoor exploration abound: A winding three-mile gravel loop can be walked, run, or bicycled, offering mature hardwood forests, wildflower meadows, and wetlands habitats. Our 10 miles of trails connect to National Park land that leads to the top of Lookout Mountain. Check out our fun, exciting and educational nature programs and events, offered on weekends and some weekdays for people of all ages.

Reflection Riding offers science programming for school groups, families, and individuals from live native animal showcases to guided nature hikes to hands-on volunteer efforts to remove invasive plants. The native animal exhibit brings visitors face-to-face with critically endangered red wolves, a bobcat, sandhill cranes, an American Bald Eagle, and more. Visitors can listen to the red wolves howl in unison and imagine what came before us, from Civil War battles to ancient Native American trails.

On any given day, you’ll find trail runners on our property, school groups learning how we protect native red wolves, families stargazing and listening to owl calls while learning to hike at night, and volunteers pulling privet and planting native plants. You might even find a three-year-old, water bottle full, shoes laced up, walking by the pond to watch the turtles, then disappearing into the woods on foot with her parents for her first hike.

Can I Ride at this “Riding”?

The name Reflection Riding does not refer to horses; in fact, our namesake originates from our roots (quite literally). The "Riding" in our name actually refers to an old English term describing a landscape designed with a series of views that unfold as you ride through on a horse carriage. You can learn more about our namesake on our blog.