While looking for new places to visit in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area I found an archeological site called Moccasin Bend National Park. It looked interesting so I set the destination in Google Maps and headed off to see the park. I arrived at the main entrance on Hamm Road. It was a wide flood plane along the Tennessee River with a gravel entry way blocked by a locked gate. Not at all inviting. It laid on the edge of a dirty industrial park. Something seemed askew. There was nothing to do or see, but there had to be more.

I continued west on Hamm Road and turned south on Moccasin Bend Road. There were trees to the left on a hillside. I passed a golf course on the right. Eventually I came to a gated entrance to Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute. The seclusion of the thick wooded area was the perfect setting for a mystery flick. I did not hang around to see what plot might unfold. I did a U-turn heading back the way I had come.

Traveling north on Moccasin Bend Road I saw Blue Blazes Hiking Trail on the left. A short dirt road pocked with huge puddles led to a small ill kept parking area. A well defined path led away from there to the south. After assessing the muddy path, I opted out choosing instead to drive further north with no idea where I would end up. For more information about Blue Blazes Trail check this link: https://www.nps.gov/chch/learn/historyculture/blue-blazes-trail.htm

As it turned out Moccasin Bend National Park is a work in progress. I researched it on line. There was nothing to see or do when I had visited. If you want to learn more about the park please check out the official site: https://www.nps.gov/chch/learn/historyculture/moccasin-bend-national-archeological-district.htm

As I drove north Moccasin Bend Road changed names to Pineville Road. Pineville Road T’ed into Signal Mountain Road near U.S. 27.. It was raining hard by the time I had reached the intersection. I decided to go north on 27. With no plans it didn’t matter much where I ended up. I made my way to Northgate Mall for a little indoor walking. The mall is very small and not very conducive to exercise. It only took forty five minutes to finish four quick laps around the interior perimeter. It was better than sitting but not as good as a long outdoors hike.

The rain continued throughout the rest of the day. I headed for a Starbucks near the mall but my eye was caught by a Books-A-Million. A mocha while browsing books beats a mocha at Starbucks. I did not find anything to buy. I enjoyed the experience just the same.