The Scenic City is known for embracing its green spaces — read: working to become the first National Park City in the US.

In similar nature, the city is coming together to celebrate National Walk to a Park Day on Thursday, Oct. 10. This initiative aims to encourage residents to get outside and explore their communities while highlighting the importance of having equitable access to parks.

Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors, Neighborhood Services, Trust for Public Land (TPL) + the Clifton Hills Neighborhood Association will host a special walk and celebration in honor of the day.

Additionally, Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly will join 5th-grade students from Clifton Hills Elementary School to walk to Caruthers Park, which is part of the city's 10-Minute Walk Park Equity Accelerator plan.

Caruthers Park features a walking path, pavilion, picnic area, playground, and a youth-sized soccer pitch. | Photo by @chaparksdept

This program, led by TPL, is working to bring a park within walking distance to every resident in Chattanooga. Fun fact: Caruthers Park serves nearly 1,000 residents within these perimeters.

Join the fun with a public proclamation by Mayor Kelly at 1:30 p.m., marking Oct. 10 National Walk to a Park Day in Chattanooga. There will also be music, activities, and information about city resources available for folks to enjoy.

If you’re not able to make it out tomorrow, there are 80+ neighborhood parks to check out on your own time. Check out our guide to 30+ of our favorite parks.

Bonus: If you take a photo from your time in the park + submit it online by Thursday, Smartwool will donate $5 for every photo submitted to TPL, up to $25,000.