Chattanooga in Hamilton County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Blue Blazes Trail

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, January 10, 2026

1. Blue Blazes Trail Marker

Inscription. Welcome to Blue Blazes Trail, a 1.5 mile loop trail located in Moccasin Bend National Archeological District, a unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Initially established in 1989, the trail goes through the forest and swamps near the southern end of Moccasin Bend. When Interstate 24 was constructed in the mid-20th Century, developers widened the Tennessee River by dredging off part of Moccasin Bend's shoreline. As the shoreline was dredged, it was pumped into the interior of the bend, creating a series of bogs and swampy areas contained by man made dikes.

The Blue Blazes Trail follows these dikes and takes visitors along ancient shorelines and through a quiet forest; a contemplative place in the middle of an urban environment. Here, you will find an abundance of wildlife. Midway through the loop, the trail offers a nice overlook of the Tennessee River.

For your safety, please stay on the designated footpath as you explore this important historic and natural landscape. Bicycles and other vehicles should remain on the paved roads, and horses are not allowed. Your pets are

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welcome as long as they remain leashed at all times. Since this area is preserved as part of Moccasin Bend National Archeological District, recreational activities are prohibited.

Blue Blazes Trail hours: sunrise to sunset

For more information, please contact Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park at 706-866-9241 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/chch.

In case of Emergency, dial 911.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Parks & Recreational Areas.

Location. 35° 2.376′ N, 85° 20.12′ W. Marker is in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Hamilton County. It is on Moccasin Bend Road, on the right when traveling south. Marker can be found along the Blue Blazes Trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 409 Moccasin Bend Rd, Chattanooga TN 37405, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, January 10, 2026

2. Blue Blazes Trail Marker

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Prehistoric Change on the Tennessee River (approx. half a mile away); Two Rivers in One: The Story of the Tennessee River (approx. 0.6 miles away); Urban Renewal (approx. one mile away); Industrial Heritage (approx. one mile away); Finding a Hidden Treasure (approx. 1.1 miles away); College Hill Hospital (approx. 1.2 miles away); John Brown's Ferry Tavern, 1803 (approx. 1.2 miles away); Carver Memorial Hospital (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chattanooga.

Other markers no longer nearby. A Point in the Line of Works (was approx. 1.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing); A point in the 2D Line of Works (was approx. 1.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Credits. This page was last revised on January 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 26, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 34 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 26, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.