What is Reflection Riding?
For more than 65 years, we have been restoring the vital connection between people and nature.
At Reflection Riding, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience nature, regardless of where they live or their economic status. We believe that when the benefits of the outdoors are accessible to everyone, Chattanooga becomes stronger and more connected. Learn more about our impact and history below.
More than 65 Years as a Public Nature Park
Created as a public park by John and Margaret Chambliss in the 1950s, Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center was dedicated to the study and conservation of native plant life. Designed in the picturesque style by renowned landscape architect Thomas Kane, the park is meant to enhance the natural beauty of the landscape. It features over twelve miles of walking trails as well as a 3.4-mile loop drive intended to capture a sequence of views throughout the property. Over 300 acres stretch along a mile of Lookout Creek, then rise slowly through pastures and meadows up the forested western slopes of Lookout Mountain.
Founders Margaret and John Chambliss take a stroll along Lookout Creek.
The Legacy of the Chambliss Family
John A. Chambliss, who married Margaret Moore Sizer in 1910, first became enamored with the land on his almost daily horseback rides down the trails of Lookout Mountain to visit Harold and Marie Humphreys in Wauhatchie. Over time, he acquired the property and used it with his family and friends. Read the early story in his own words here on our blog. However, Chambliss saw that this special environment would better serve the public. Therefore, in September of 1956, the Charter of Reflection Riding, a general welfare corporation, was incorporated and recorded in the Hamilton County Register’s Office. The original incorporators were: Summerfield K. Johnson, Harold M. Humphreys, Robert N. Chambliss, Margaret S. Chambliss, and W. C. Cartinhour. It was dedicated primarily to the study and conservation of native plant life. In 1968, the organization attained status as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
The Chattanooga Nature Center
Begun in the late 1970s, the Chattanooga Nature Center was established to create educational opportunities for the community, especially its school-age children, to learn from close-up observation of native wildlife.
The CNC developed practices and processes to handle animals in need of management because they have been affected by humans in such a way that they can’t survive on their own in the wild. For example:
They may have suffered an injury
They may have been kept illegally a pet
They are part of a species survival plan such as the program for critically endangered red wolf
Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center
In 2011, the original Reflection Riding Land Conservation Trust and the Chattanooga Nature Center began a process that created today's merged organization. As of December 31, 2018, the two organizations officially merged into a single 501(c)(3) nonprofit now known as Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center.
Nondiscrimination Policy
Reflection Riding believes that equal opportunity is important for the continuing success of our organization, our staff and volunteer team, and the community we serve. For many years, Reflection Riding has had a nondiscrimination policy in place, which is far broader than a Title 6 policy. Below is that policy, which was updated in March 2023:
We intend to comply with all laws which preclude discrimination because of race, disability, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, and any other protected classification, including people with limited English proficiency. This policy applies to all our activities, including but not limited to, employment, selection of volunteers, purchasing, and selecting vendors or consultants. Reflection Riding defines discrimination to include, but not necessarily be limited to, the denial of services, employment, or volunteer opportunities to any class of individuals in a manner that negatively restricts opportunities to that class of individuals. To report an issue or problem under this policy, please contact the Managing Director.
