With the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at its doorstep, Tennessee has world-renowned hiking trails. It's no wonder as of September 2010 there were at least nine hiking clubs in the state and at least two in Chattanooga. Chattanooga is less than two hours from the Great Smoky Mountains and within an hour of the Chattahoochee National Forest.
Types
Two hiking clubs in Chattanooga--the Chattanooga Hiking Club and the Chattanooga-Outdoor Club South--were active in September 2010. Both are similar in membership size and very active groups. Members communicate, however, in distinct ways. The Outdoor South Club has a page on the Meetup website, a social networking site; the Chattanooga Hiking Club has a newsletter for members and holds bimonthly meetings.
Features
The Chattanooga-Outdoor Club South organizes a variety of outdoor activities, including hikes, backpacking trips, camping, mountain and road biking trips; canoe, kayak and rafting trips; and climbing, caving, horseback riding, SCUBA diving, skydiving and hang gliding trips. The club hosts regular socials to welcome new members and plan future events. The Chattanooga Hiking Club, in contrast, focuses more specifically on hiking trips. Some of the upcoming hiking trips planned in September 2010 included a Grapeyard Ridge day hike, a Flipper Bend day hike and a Savage Gulf backpack. The club has a special interest in conservation projects.
History
The Chattanooga-Outdoor Club South formed on November 19, 2008 in Chattanooga, through the website Meetup. Since that time, there have been 230 outdoors and social events scheduled in which members have participated. Chattanooga Hiking Club acquired its name in December 1989 after several months of hiking and outdoor events organized by its founders. In June of that year, the first newsletter published to a group of about 40 people after the first meeting on May 22, 1989. Since then the group has grown to its present size, with continual meetings every other month at the Chattanooga Nature Center.
Size and Organization
As of September 2010, there were 594 members of the Chattanooga-Outdoor Club South. There are organizers and co-organizers of the group, and communication is through the Meetup website and through planned social events. Individuals join the group, and post events, messages, photos and announcements on the club's Meetup.com page. As of September 2010, the Chattanooga Hiking Club had over 200 households on the membership rolls. Prospective members fill out a membership application online and mail it the club address. The club has its own website and is a non-profit organization with a full slate of officers.
Cost and Skill Level
The Chattanooga-Outdoor Club South hosts events about 80 percent of which are free or pay-as-you-go. The events are for all skill levels, from beginner to expert. The Chattanooga Hiking Club is also open to all skill levels. Annual membership dues are $20 per household, which includes a subscription to the club newsletter.
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