Chattanooga Outdoor Activities

The ATV has revolutionized off-roading, traversing terrain inaccessible to cars with more speed than a bicycle and more stability than a dirt bike. Four Wheelin' Expeditions' staff knows the advantages of an extreme off-roading vehicle, which is why carry a fleet of Yamaha, Kawasaki, Polaris, and Can-Am ATVs. Their single-seaters transport riders through rocky terrain with the agility of a mechanical cheetah. Four Wheelin’ lets riders rent for a half or full day, with guided tours available at nearby parks.

After paddling his way into the U.S. Olympic Team–trial finals twice, Jeff West, founder of Ace Kayaking School, began sharing his love of the sport with readers of popular publications and more than 5,000 eager students. Striving for a maximum 3:1 instructor to student ratio in all of his courses, Jeff and his team teach key skills to beginners and experienced rollers alike while gliding down the Ocoee River's famous Table Saw rapids. In addition to whitewater kayaking, Ace teaches stand-up paddleboarding and the advanced waterfall navigating techniques of creek boating and freefalling in a barrel.

Ocoee Zipz lifts its riders off the ground and transports them to new lands along seven lines named after beloved Wizard of Oz characters and featuring varying grades, distances, and terrain. Staff members, aptly nicknamed The Flying Monkeys of Oz, help adventure seekers soar above Ocoee's 40 acres of rustic scenery during two-hour zipline tours. Tours begin at the 30-foot-high Cowardly Lion launch tower, where fraidy cats find the courage they need to skim the tops of trees. The Dorothy line zooms along the Ocoee River to meet up with the Toto tower across a swinging bridge, where cushy crash pads wait with loving arms to catch especially enthusiastic zippers. Guests may try an upside-down dive off the Scarecrow tower, then test their speed on the Wicked Witch of the West line, which features a steep enough grade to get patrons up to 45 mph. Like Shakespearian arguments or family reunions, Ocoee Zipz's tours end with a duel on The Wizard's parallel lines, as participants race their way to the finish.

The NRA-certified range masters at The Shooter's Depot direct their watchful gaze over the shop's climate-controlled shooting range spanning nine lanes, each outfitted with motorized tracking systems and pelletized rubber backstops capable of absorbing both pistol and rifle fire. The team of instructors, which includes law-enforcement personnel in its ranks, sharpens students' aim in shooting classes that range from Beginner's Handguns 101 to the Defensive Divas women's self-defense course. The in-house dealership's weapons experts advise visitors on how to catch bullets in their teeth and unveil a collection of firearms and ammo from manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson and Beretta. For those especially passionate about responsible home and self defense, memberships grant privileges such as extended range hours and ammo discounts.

Launched in 2000 as a humble 20'x20' shop, Frontier Firearms has grown into an 11,000-square-foot facility that encompasses two 25-yard, five-bay indoor shooting ranges. Each gallery enhances visitors' comfort with technological touches, such as sound dampening and granulated-rubber-bullet traps that capture rounds mostly intact, thus minimizing particle dispersion into the air. By removing these potential distractions, the ranges let marksmen focus on following the Mancom Touch Plus Active Target Shooting system. Used by law-enforcement agencies such as the FBI, this computerized system can make targets turn, rush toward, and flee from the shooter. Frontier Firearm's team includes instructors who claim NRA and state certifications, which they apply to supervising the ranges and leading handgun classes that range from a ladies-only course to advanced defensive tactics and how to look tough in a saloon.

Celebrated course architects Peter Jacobsen, Jim Hardy, and Jerry Lemons sculpted RiverWatch Golf Club’s course through natural tributaries leading to the crystalline waters of Center Hill Lake. Wide zoysia fairways rise and fall through the densely forested terrain, creating natural doglegs that bend around large earthen swells and ponds. Water comes into play on seven holes, making accuracy more important than hitting long drives or unlocking the scorecard’s treasure map to a lower handicap.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,850 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 73.3 from the back tees
• Course slope of 131 from the back tees
• Five sets of tees per hole