Aetna Mountain Doubled Its Trails This Summer: The New Loops, the Overlook, and Where to Eat After

On August 21, 2026, the Tennessee River Gorge Trust cut the ribbon on the second phase of the Aetna Mountain Trails. That doubled the system to about 8 miles. The bigger news is who the new miles were built for. As TRGT Executive Director Eliot Berz told the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the 4 new miles were designed with community input for beginner- to intermediate-level users. Riverdance has also been open since early 2026, a restaurant just past the River Gorge Ranch gates on the same mountain. Put those together and Aetna Mountain is no longer a mountain bikers' place. It's a fall afternoon for anyone in east Marion County, including people who haven't been on a trail in years.

The Second Half Was Built for People Just Starting Out

The first phase opened on September 29, 2023. It had roughly 4 miles of multi-use trail: a 1.4-mile beginner loop and a 2.4-mile intermediate loop. Even then, TRGT said it had built the system with adaptive mountain biking in mind and that advanced features could be bypassed, so riders could build skills at their own pace.

Phase II goes further in that direction. A professional crew started building in February 2026. According to Chattanoogan.com, Barry Smith Trails built the new loops following a master plan from the International Mountain Biking Association. SORBA Chattanooga reports that TRGT staff and volunteers, drawing on earlier consultation with Catalyst Sports, also went back to the Phase I trails for reroutes and improvements, aiming to make the whole network adaptive-friendly instead of just the new section.

TRGT now describes the full system as four loops. Two are beginner-friendly green loops and two are intermediate-to-advanced blue loops. All of them are built to adaptive mountain biking standards and are open to bikers, hikers, and trail runners. Traffic runs in both directions, so you can do any loop either way.

Four Loops and a Short Walk to the Overlook

Here's the system as it stands this fall. Mileage depends on who's measuring. TRGT's 2023 announcement, the 6AM City coverage of the expansion, and the community-maintained Trailforks map all give slightly different figures, so treat these as approximate.

Look at the two green loops together. Skullcap and Homesite add up to roughly two and a half miles of beginner trail, about the length of a long neighborhood walk. That's what makes Aetna a reasonable pick for a mixed group: a kid on a first real mountain bike, a grandparent who wants a steady walk, a visiting friend who runs. TRGT says the trails pass through hardwood forest and mountain streams on the way to the Valley View Overlook. 6AM City describes the Valley View Spur as a short scenic path out to that overlook, separate from the four loops. In mid-October, that short detour is where your camera comes out.

Finding the Trailhead Without Overshooting It

The trailhead is the one spot people miss. Per TRGT's directions, the parking lot sits on River Gorge Drive at a hairpin curve, about half a mile up the mountain past 2924 River Gorge Drive. TRGT says plainly that 2924 is a model home, not the trailhead, so if you plug that address into your phone you'll need to keep climbing until you reach the parking lot at the curve. The Phase II grand opening was held at this same River Gorge Drive trailhead. TRGT's page has a Phase II trailhead map, but nothing I found says parking has moved.

Before you load the car, a few practical points:

• Hours, dogs, and e-bikes. Trailforks lists sunrise-to-sunset access and says dogs and e-bikes are permitted. Its pages for individual loops such as Skull Cap and Aetna Flyway specify Class 1 e-bikes. Trailforks is a community database, though, and I couldn't find TRGT's own rules page confirming any of it.
• After rain. I didn't find an official TRGT policy on closing the trails after rain. If there's been a soggy week, check TRGT's channels before you go.
• Reporting problems. TRGT asks users to send feedback and trail issues through the reporting form on its Aetna Mountain Trails page.

Riverdance Turns the Hike Into an Afternoon Out

Riverdance sits a short drive above the trailhead on the same mountain. The Times Free Press describes the restaurant as sitting just beyond the gates of River Gorge Ranch, with breezeway floor art that maps 43 miles of the Tennessee River from Chickamauga Dam to Nickajack Dam. River Gorge Ranch's own page invites both residents and people "discovering us for the first time." The restaurant is open to the public. The gated community behind it is not, and that includes its amenities.

What to expect:

• Address: 300 The Gorge Dr., Guild.
• Kitchen: Made-from-scratch modern Southern food, with steaks and seafood next to salads, pizzas, sandwiches, and brunch. The Times Free Press profiled executive chef Allan Ubas in March 2026.
• Seating: Indoor and outdoor dining overlooking the river gorge and ridges, plus a bar. Visit Chattanooga also mentions a 180-foot illuminated installation called "The Dance."
• Prices: On the current dinner menu, appetizers run about $15 to $29, 12-inch pizzas about $20 to $22, and steaks $39 to $120. OpenTable puts it in the $31 to $50 per person range.
• Reservations: Taken through OpenTable, and it was still booking in October 2026.

The pizzas and sandwiches are the sensible order after a trail morning. The steaks make more sense for a celebration dinner.

Timing a Fall Half-Day Around Both

The trails and the restaurant run on schedules that line up well, as long as you keep the clock in mind. OpenTable lists Riverdance's hours in Central Time:

TRGT's 2023 opening announcement gave its ceremony time in Eastern Time, so if you're coordinating with a Chattanooga friend, settle on a time zone in the group text.

Here's a simple weekend plan that uses both:

1. Park at the River Gorge Drive hairpin in the morning and do Skullcap or Homesite first. A beginner loop sets the pace for a mixed group.
2. Take the Valley View Spur out to the overlook and back.
3. Strong riders or runners can add Chinquapin or the Aetna Flyway while everyone else heads for the car.
4. Drive up to 300 The Gorge Dr. before brunch ends at 2:30 p.m. Central.

Riverdance's contact page writes its directions for drivers coming from Chattanooga: I-24 west to Exit 161 toward Haletown/New Hope, TN-134 East, then left on Morgan Point Road. OpenTable's version adds a turn onto TN-156 East before TN-134. Since the two don't match, check your route before you set out.

What's on the Calendar Up Here

I didn't find a dated fall 2026 lineup for live music or holiday events at Riverdance. The restaurant says it hosts seasonal events, live music, local markets, and family gatherings during the year. One recurring event is confirmed. An Incredible Business Networking evening social meets there on second Mondays from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Central. It's listed as free and open to all, with food and drinks available to buy. The next one falls on Monday, October 12.

On the trail side, SORBA Chattanooga has already run events on Aetna this year. In May, TRGT partnered with HANDUP on a nighttime team mountain-bike challenge. In August, the Phase II opening ended with a public community ride led by Aetna Trail Ambassadors and SORBA. TRGT says Phase II fundraising is complete and is now taking donations to maintain the trails, through the Aetna Trails page.

If you've seen the trail and the restaurant from the River Gorge Ranch gate and wondered what lies past it, ask me. I can walk you through how the private community and the public trails on Aetna Mountain fit together, and whether bluff living up there suits the way you spend your weekends. Jessica Wright is always happy to talk mountain life over coffee or at the trailhead. Let's Connect.