In 1969, Chattanooga, Tennessee, was once so heavily polluted by unregulated emissions from railroads, coal plants, and industrial factories that the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare named it one of the most heavily polluted places in the nation. However, this little city at the foothills of the Appalachians has been working hard to clean itself up.
In April, Chattanooga earned the title of the first National Park City in the U.S. The distinction is unrelated to the National Park Service, which manages parks, national monuments, and historic sites across the country. Instead, the city was given the designation by the National Park City Foundation, a U.K.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the way people think about cities and their relationship to nature. The organization awards the title to destinations around the globe that are rethinking urban design and are making cities more friendly for the environment and the people who live within them.
The process of applying for the National Park City title started about two years ago, but it has taken decades of work. Since the 1970s, the city has taken bold steps to clean up through legislation and voluntary actions. The result is a city that feels like it grew into nature—not over it.
“The movement was a grassroots triumph, sparked by community passion and collaboration,” said Hannah Hammon, public relations manager at Visit Chattanooga. “Starting in 2023, residents, nonprofits, businesses, and city leaders rallied around a shared vision of Chattanooga as a ‘city in a park.'”
The Scenic City joins London and Adelaide as the third National Park City in the world, and Hammon says she hopes the award will inspire other destinations to see that vibrant cities and beautiful natural spaces don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
“Chattanooga shows that community-led collaboration, paired with bold environmental action, can create cities where people and nature flourish together,” she said. “By prioritizing accessible green spaces, cultural diversity, and sustainable practices, any city can become a place where residents feel connected to their environment and each other.”
For those looking for a green, urban escape, Chattanooga is an ideal choice. The city is home to over 70 parks and 35 miles of trails. The South Chickamauga Creek Greenway, a multiuse path, winds through wetlands, forests, and wildlife corridors and offers a taste of the area’s rich (and often-overlooked) biodiversity.
Other highlights include Stringer’s Ridge, a reclaimed urban woodland with tranquil views of the skyline, and the Tennessee Riverwalk, a scenic path that threads through downtown and other neighborhoods. Visitors can also wander through Bluff View Art District, known for its riverfront sculpture gardens, or ride the century-old Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain for a scenic overview of the city’s landscape.
