Autumn in Chattanooga, Tennessee

On the weekend of October 23rd - 25th, our family headed down to the Chattanooga area to enjoy some fall color. My parents are both retired and have become part-time RVers: out on the road doing service projects for about 6 months of the year. One of their fall projects was canceled, so they decided to join us.

We both reserved campsites next to each other at Raccoon Mountain RV Resort, a Good Sam park, just outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The campground itself was pretty nice and somewhat secluded. From our site, we had a nice view of Lookout Mountain. Wi-fi and cable both worked well, and the RV park is only a few miles from Downtown Chattanooga and the attractions in the Lookout Mountain area.

Our campsite at Raccoon Mountain RV park, with Lookout Mountain in the background.

That Saturday, we had a nice breakfast together and headed to Lookout Mountain to explore Ruby Falls. After enjoying our time at Ruby Falls, we headed further up the mountain to Point Park to take in the scenery. After Point Park, we headed into downtown Chattanooga to grab a bite to eat.

Ruby Falls in all her glory.

Some views from Point Park, atop Lookout Mountain. 

My great, great grandfather Thomas Hicks served as a lieutenant in the Confederate Army. Records show that he fought for the Tennessee 29th Infantry. One of our family heirlooms is a sword that he obtained during the war. Family tradition tells that he found the sword (a union infantry sword) during the battle of Missionary Ridge - part of the overall battle for control of Chattanooga in late November of 1863. While we were at Point Park, one of the park rangers gave us the location where my great, great grandfather was stationed atop the ridge. Sunday morning, after packing up camp, we drove up to Missionary Ridge to find the spot where my great, great grandfather fought some 150+ years before.

Plaque marking the spot where my great, great grandfather stood and faced Union troops charging up the ridge. He fought in the 29th Tennessee. 

The view from Missionary Ridge (Lookout Mountain in the background) some 150+ years after my great, great grandfather stood here and fought.

Men's Retreat at Montgomery Bell

On the first weekend in October, the men of my church gathered in Montgomery Bell State Park for a prayer retreat. Most of the men stayed in the Inn there at the park, but a hand full of men decided to brave it out in the campground.

That particular weekend ended up being very wet and cold. It rained all weekend with evening lows in the lower 40s. All of the sites were saturated and any available wood was soaked, which made it pretty challenging for those camping in tents. I, however, was not camping in a tent. I was camping in my RV - on a nice creek-side site that I had secured a couple of months earlier.

Because it was rainy and cold, I didn't really get out and do much in the park, or take many pictures - which was good, since the focus of the weekend was the prayer meetings. I didn't have the beautiful outdoors as a distraction to what God wanted to accomplish. Once our meetings had concluded that Saturday afternoon, I was able to get in a short hike during a small break in the weather. I didn't want to get my Nikon out in the weather, so all pictures were taken on my iPhone.

Hiking trail through the iron ore pits. Montgomery Bell was one of the Nation's leading Iron producers in the early 1800's. Cannonballs used in the war of 1812 were probably cast here.

Inside a sandstone chapel built to commemorate the founding of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was founded on these grounds in 1810 at the home of Rev. Samuel McAdow. A replica of his home is near by. This chapel was built to commemorate the founding of the denomination.

Dam and spillway at Lake Woodhaven, one of the 3 lakes at Montgomery Bell State Park.