Tennessee · Hiking · Near Red Bank

Whiteside Trail

Whiteside TrailPhoto: Roman Eugeniusz, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.6 mi
round trip
515 ft
climb
1,355 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Nov
best months

Is Whiteside Trail open right now?

No closures listed

The National Park Service lists no closures for Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.

As of · Source: NPS · Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Whiteside Trail is a short, easy hike in Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park in Tennessee, about 0.6 miles long and with a one-way climb of 415 feet. The trail is an out-and-back, and the route reaches a high point of 1,355 feet before returning to the starting elevation of about 967 feet. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.23 miles in, where the grade reaches 20 percent. The trail sits within the park's boundaries and also crosses into the Lookout Mountain Conservancy POTH, a land unit managed by a non-governmental organization. The closest town is Chattanooga, a short drive away. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lookout Mtn-Point Park show May highs around 74°F and October highs around 67°F, with September and October seeing the fewest wet days of the year. That station sits about 755 feet higher than the trail, so temperatures on the trail run a little warmer. Guild Trail is just 0.2 miles away, and the climbing areas at Luna and High Point are each about 0.4 miles off. Cravens to Mtn Beautiful Trail is about half a mile away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Raccoon Mountain Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 4.3 mi from the trail
  • If it rainsPub. by Cline Photo Co., Chattanooga. Tenn. "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Tichnor Bros.,..., Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

    Ochs Memorial Museum

    Museum

    On your way back · 1 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Pub. by Cline Photo Co., Chattanooga. Tenn. "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Tichnor Bros.,..., Public domain (commons)

More in Red Bank
  • Best time to go · Mar–Nov

    Best time to visit Whiteside Trail

    Best months: March–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      46° / 29°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      49° / 31°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      58° / 39°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      68° / 47°

      11 wet

    5. May

      74° / 57°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      81° / 65°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      84° / 67°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      82° / 67°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      78° / 61°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      67° / 51°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      57° / 40°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      48° / 32°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lookout Mtn-Point Park, TN, 0.7 mi away at 2,110 ft. The station sits about 800 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors