Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center
Chattanooga, Tennessee
About
Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center is a unique native plant nursery and conservation hub nestled in the heart of Chattanooga, Tennessee. With a mission to connect people to nature and inspire environmental stewardship, this 300-acre campus offers a wealth of expertise in restoring diverse native plant communities. From prairie and woodland species to wetland and pollinator-friendly plants, their knowledgeable staff guides customers in selecting the right natives to support thriving ecosystems in their own backyards and beyond. Whether you're seeking design inspiration, hands-on learning opportunities, or simply the joy of exploring their lush, well-tended grounds, Reflection Riding is a cherished resource for nature enthusiasts of all ages.
Specializations
Services Offered
Reviews
We absolutely love this place! They have beautiful trails for hiking or even driving on, canoeing and native plants you can purchase. Cory Hagen took us on a tour to see the red wolves, bobcat, and sand hill crane. He was very knowledgeable. We walked on several trails around and past the lake and saw the beautiful wildflowers in bloom. Everyone here was so nice and friendly. We hope to come back soon!
Yesterday I went for a walk in the woods after a rainstorm. It was a magical fall afternoon with colors, fog, cool clean air, and a walk that was as easy or as hard as I wanted to make it. I could have gone all the way up to sunset rock but stayed a little closer due to time restraints. There is a lot to learn and gain from even short visits! Here is what I learned yesterday: a "stag" is a tall stump (maybe up to 12') that is left after a tree is cut down. This allows for a property owner to remove the threat of a dead tree but leave habitat for cool birds, raccoons, native bugs, and more.
The cost of membership to reflection riding is well worth the price for canoeing alone, but there are so many other things available including hiking, classes, summer camps, The Wildflower Gardens and greenhouses where you can buy native wildflower plants not to mention the wildlife sanctuary where they have several injured animals that they keep to teach and inform people. Memberships are how this place stays operational and apparently they have been in business since the seventies helping to teach conservation and such. The staff are also wonderful. Shout out to Will at the front desk. Brianna who gave us the tour in the wildlife sanctuary. And Paige who runs the Wildflower Gardens.
A nice place to visit, easy to access, amd plenty parking. I didn't stay long, just parked and did a quick walk to the tree house. From other posted photos on the reviews, it looks like it would also be good to visit in Spring or beginning of Fall. I'll certainly come back
My husband and I and some friends were in Chattanooga for 2 days. Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center was the highlight of our trip. We'd never been there before and we enjoyed a lovely walk through well groomed trails on Tuesday afternoon and returned to do it again Wednesday before heading home! What a gem of a place to reflect, walk and enjoy nature. Chattanooga is blessed to have this.