Signal Point

This is an amazing trail, and even more beautiful in the fall. I agree with other Unilocalers that it is more of an intermediate hike, so I wouldn’t recommend this for children. It has many breathtaking views of the river and mountainside, and has a nice mix of ups and downs so you won’t get too tired too quickly. One word of warning, save some energy for the stairs on the way back. The steps are very large/​steep, so it takes quite a bit of energy to get back to the starting point. One other great feature is there is a parking lot for this trail, which many others on signal point mountain do not have. I will definitely be back!

Surreal scenery! Definitely worth the trek. They did a fabulous job of creating a hiking trail that maintains the integrity of the nature scape it was created in. Majority dirt and rock trail, a few steps at the beginning. Short cut options that are more steep for those go-​getters. The trail itself is fairly narrow but a ways from the ledge. It is predominantly shaded from the woods with the exception of the rock bluffs that you can walk out on.
Beautiful rock bluffs to relax that overlook the Tennessee River. Stunning. As a visitor to Chattanooga, I would highly recommend this trail and visit over Rock City. It’s free and personally I found it to be much more serene. I will definitely be returning whenever I am passing through.
GO!

The Cumberland Trail from the Signal Point scenic overlook (plenty of parking) runs along the rim of the Tennessee River gorge with fantastic views along the whole trail. The narrow dirt path through lightly wood areas requires some rock hopping and hugs the canyon with many treacherous drops/​bluffs — so not recommended for clumsy kids and people with a fear of heights. The moderately difficult trail has gentle uphills and downhills, and hopping up and around rocks and downed trees is harder than the actual hills. The path is clearly marked with white patches painted on the trees.
From the trail information bulletin board, a series of rickety (but safe!) stairs drops hikers from the scenic overlook to the trailhead. The first awe-​inspiring view is approximately 0.5 mile down the trail — a rocky cliff overlooking the entire gorge. (You can see the rock cliffs at Edward’s Point directly across the valley.) From there, the trail descends and veers inland to cross Middle Creek at the second rickety (but safe!) bridge, approximately 1.0 miles further on the trail. If you don’t cross the bridge and continue inland, there’s a low man-​made dam and mini waterfall — perfect for a rest and a snack break.
Crossing the second bridge, Edward’s Point is approximately 1.5 miles further where three more rocky cliffs jut into the gorge for amazing views. Also, before Edward’s Point, there’s a few mini caves that have been formed by water erosion into the rock walls — perfect for hide-​and-​go-​seek. The trail continues further forever, but at this point, I turned back for a nice 6.0 mile trek roundtrip.
(As a side note, at scenic overlook, there’s a plaque explaining the significance of Signal Mountain during the Civil War. But that’s it, and its not worth the visit as a Civil War site.)