We began hiking in the early afternoon, the St. Elmo trail leading us into the quiet woods, past old oaks, pine groves and early spring flowers and butterflies, northbound from a winter spent far away.
Look west: the streets of St. Elmo, with Lookout Mountain rising in the background. Turn east: views through the winter trees of Missionary Ridge, Forest Hills Cemetery, Alton Park and Missionary Ridge in the distance.
And to the north? Downtown, the Tennessee River, Walden’s Ridge and beyond.
The trail wanders, meanders and strolls its way through a woodland forest, dozens of untouched acres in the heart of St. Elmo, adjacent to so many South Chattanooga homes and businesses. The forest trail offers what all good trails do: an escape, refuge and retreat from the congestion, inboxes and headaches of daily life.
Welcome to Hawkins Ridge.
And welcome to our chance to preserve it forever.
In a monumental real estate agreement that will impact St. Elmo and Lookout Mountain for generations, the Lookout Mountain Conservancy (LMC) has signed a contract to purchase 22 acres along Hawkins Ridge in St. Elmo.
The 22-acre forest will be conserved and remain undeveloped, allowing LMC - a nationally-accredited land trust celebrating 35 years - to protect and preserve Hawkins Ridge as natural woodlands and untouched forest.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve land that will last for generations,” said Dr. Robyn Carlton, LMC’s president and CEO.
We need your help.
Join our Hawkins Ridge, Always campaign, which we launched for three big reasons:
“We want to preserve and protect the wild and special places,” said Robyn.
LMC plans to actively maintain the land, stewarding a trail system that runs south-to-north through Hawkins Ridge, which parallels Tennessee Avenue in St. Elmo. Sharing a northern border with Forest Hills Cemetery, the property - made up of 15 contiguous parcels - skirts the base of Seneca Avenue as the ridge rises in elevation to offer stunning views.
“This is a generational moment. This is the core of why we exist as a land trust,” said Carlton. “And we’re going to need the help of our friends and neighbors over the next few months.”
Every so often, a community has the chance to make a difference that will last generations.
If we don’t, who will?
It’s the same question asked 35 years ago this spring, when John Wilson gathered a group of concerned mountain residents in his living room, soon forming the Lookout Mountain Protection Agency.
“The historic Cummings Highway was getting ugly. And it had no protectors,” he later wrote. “Though hundreds of people drove the winding road every day, there was no one group looking out for its interests.”
Today, we want to be the protectors of Hawkins Ridge.
We gladly invite you to join our Hawkins Ridge, Always campaign by visiting lookoutmountainconservancy.org or using the QR Code.
by David Cook
Look west: the streets of St. Elmo, with Lookout Mountain rising in the background. Turn east: views through the winter trees of Missionary Ridge, Forest Hills Cemetery, Alton Park and Missionary Ridge in the distance.
And to the north? Downtown, the Tennessee River, Walden’s Ridge and beyond.
The trail wanders, meanders and strolls its way through a woodland forest, dozens of untouched acres in the heart of St. Elmo, adjacent to so many South Chattanooga homes and businesses. The forest trail offers what all good trails do: an escape, refuge and retreat from the congestion, inboxes and headaches of daily life.
Welcome to Hawkins Ridge.
And welcome to our chance to preserve it forever.
In a monumental real estate agreement that will impact St. Elmo and Lookout Mountain for generations, the Lookout Mountain Conservancy (LMC) has signed a contract to purchase 22 acres along Hawkins Ridge in St. Elmo.
The 22-acre forest will be conserved and remain undeveloped, allowing LMC - a nationally-accredited land trust celebrating 35 years - to protect and preserve Hawkins Ridge as natural woodlands and untouched forest.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve land that will last for generations,” said Dr. Robyn Carlton, LMC’s president and CEO.
We need your help.
Join our Hawkins Ridge, Always campaign, which we launched for three big reasons:
- First and foremost, we want to save this last remaining forest in South Chattanooga. It’s one of the most desirable pieces of undeveloped land remaining in Chattanooga. If we don’t save it, who will?
- Second, we need to build fundraising support among old friends and new. We’re on the clock, needing to raise $875,000.
- And third? We want to offer our community something precious and rare.
“We want to preserve and protect the wild and special places,” said Robyn.
LMC plans to actively maintain the land, stewarding a trail system that runs south-to-north through Hawkins Ridge, which parallels Tennessee Avenue in St. Elmo. Sharing a northern border with Forest Hills Cemetery, the property - made up of 15 contiguous parcels - skirts the base of Seneca Avenue as the ridge rises in elevation to offer stunning views.
“This is a generational moment. This is the core of why we exist as a land trust,” said Carlton. “And we’re going to need the help of our friends and neighbors over the next few months.”
Every so often, a community has the chance to make a difference that will last generations.
If we don’t, who will?
It’s the same question asked 35 years ago this spring, when John Wilson gathered a group of concerned mountain residents in his living room, soon forming the Lookout Mountain Protection Agency.
“The historic Cummings Highway was getting ugly. And it had no protectors,” he later wrote. “Though hundreds of people drove the winding road every day, there was no one group looking out for its interests.”
Today, we want to be the protectors of Hawkins Ridge.
We gladly invite you to join our Hawkins Ridge, Always campaign by visiting lookoutmountainconservancy.org or using the QR Code.
by David Cook
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