Clifton Hills Alton Park Thread Trail

All communities are stronger, healthier, and more connected when everyone is able to get outside and engage with nature. But in Chattanooga, 60% of residents don’t live within a 10-minute walk of a park or green space. Trust for Public Land is working to change that.

We’re teaming up with local residents, community leaders, and the City of Chattanooga to create the Clifton Hills Alton Park Thread Trail (CHATT). This trail will help reconnect South Chattanooga’s communities, many of which are lower-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods of color that have been left out of the city’s revival.

The CHATT will connect communities through two key sections—the Alton Park Connector and the Clifton Hills Connector—linking to form a seamless trail. When complete, this trail will stretch from the Tennessee Riverwalk to Southside Community Park and Clifton Hills Elementary, a future Tennessee Community Schoolyards project.

By providing a car-free route to parks, schools, grocery stores, and local businesses, the CHATT will bring green space and opportunity to thousands of residents. In areas like Alton Park, where more than 35% of households lack access to a car, and Clifton Hills, where 16% face similar challenges, this trail is a lifeline for mobility, health, and community.

Projects like this help ensure that everyone, regardless of zip code, has the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors. The CHATT is more than just a trail—it’s a pathway to a healthier, more connected Chattanooga that will benefit generations of residents to come.