Hamilton County calls Poe Run Path the easiest hike at Enterprise South Nature Park, and part of it has been closed since Monday, Sept. 21. The section that runs through Bunker 2 is being used to set up Halloween Trail Fest. It is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
That date splits the month in two. For the first half of October, the park's simplest walk is partly closed, and the best outdoor options are a different loop or a pumpkin patch. In the second half, the trail is back and Cambridge Square has five dated events in 15 days. Plan with that split in mind and the month is easier to schedule.
What is closed, and what still works for a weekday walk
The county's alert is short and specific:
"Poe Run Trail through Bunker 2 is closed for Halloween Trail Fest operations starting today Monday, September 21st and will re-open Wednesday, October 14th."
On AllTrails, the most popular walking route in the park is Poe Run Path to Hidden Lake, an easy three-mile out-and-back that takes about an hour to an hour and a half. The alert names only the stretch through Bunker 2, so check the route against the closure before you head to the Poe Run trailhead. If you'd rather not deal with it, the park still has plenty of open ground before the 14th:
- Hawks Ridge Loop. AllTrails lists this 3.1-mile loop among the park's top routes and rates it easy, so it's the closest match to Poe Run in distance and effort.
- Bunkers #28 and #50. These are the only two former Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant bunkers open to the public for viewing. The others are closed. The bunkers stored explosives while TNT was produced on the site.
- Wildwood Playscape. The park's newest family area opened this spring. Hamilton County held a free grand opening on April 24, and the Times Free Press reported on April 27 that it was open. The announcement described it as built from organic materials and designed to fit into the landscape around it.
- Black Forest, TNT, and Log Rhythm. For riders, AllTrails ranks this mostly singletrack combination as the park's most popular mountain bike route, with a 4.7 rating across 642 reviews.
The county's hours apply to all of these. The park is currently open 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the county notes that hours change with the seasons. The Atlas Bike Trail closes at 7 p.m. and the Summit Knobs Horse Trail at 6:30 p.m. AllTrails gives a later closing time, so go by the county's posted schedule. The Visitor Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Paper maps are at the kiosks at Bunker Hill Loop, the Poe Run Path trailhead, Still Hollow Loop Parking Lot 6, and Parking Lot 3.
The weekend the closure is for
Trail Fest runs Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, from 6 to 11 p.m. at the park, 190 Still Hollow Loop. The evening includes a haunted trail, a glow trail, a trick-or-treat trail for children, food trucks, and a bonfire. Admission is $15 for ages 13 and up and $7 for ages 4 to 12. Children 3 and under get in free. The ticket booth closes at 10 p.m., and the listing recommends arriving by 9:30.
The festival runs well past the park's posted 7:30 p.m. closing, which explains the three weeks of daytime setup. Some coverage still floating around lists different dates, and a county calendar entry from last year places the event on Oct. 11, 2025. The current listing gives Oct. 9 and 10.
Saturday the 10th is the one night this month when two Ooltewah events compete for the same evening. That day, Cambridge Square hosts a Southern British Car Show, with Forever 13 playing from 6 to 9 p.m. Trail Fest opens at 6 and sells tickets until 10, so there's room for both. You could hear the first set at the Square, then get to the park before the 9:30 arrival cutoff. Or you could go Friday for Trail Fest and save Saturday for the Square.
Afternoons that don't depend on the park
Aubie Smith Farms runs on its own schedule through Halloween. The farm is at 9626 Ooltewah Georgetown Road and grows more than 50 pumpkin varieties. On weekends it adds hayrides and food trucks, and its Family Fun Zone is open throughout.
Pay attention to the hours. According to the Times Free Press guide published Oct. 1, the farm is open weekdays only from 1 to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. General entry is free, and the Family Fun Zone costs $12. That makes a Saturday the longest window, at nine hours. It also means the farm and the Trail Fest weekend fit together. Spend the afternoon of Oct. 10 among the pumpkins, and you're still in time for a 6 p.m. start at either the Square or the park.
After the 14th, Cambridge Square fills the calendar
Before the trail reopens, Cambridge Square has one dated October event still ahead, the Oct. 10 car show. After it reopens, the Square has five dated events between Oct. 17 and Oct. 31. Its posted schedule covers April through December 2026.
- Saturday, Oct. 17. The Massage Method Wellness Market runs from 9 a.m. to noon, and Rhythm Riders play from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 18. The Halloween Cambridge Car Show with Gameday Social runs from 5 to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 24. The Autumn Harvest Market runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Ariel Omarzu plays from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 29. The Center Stage Dance Recital runs from 6 to 6:45 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 31. Bone Daddies play from 6 to 9 p.m. on Halloween night.
Combine that list with the reopened trail and the second half of the month comes together in an Ooltewah-only weekend. Oct. 17 is the clearest example. You could walk Poe Run in the morning, now that the Bunker 2 section has reopened, then visit the wellness market before noon. A weekday-closed afternoon gives way to a Saturday at Aubie Smith Farms, followed by Rhythm Riders at 6. On Oct. 24, the Autumn Harvest Market and the farm's Saturday hours overlap for five hours, from 11 to 4.
What is still pending, and what is settled
Two things readers may be waiting on haven't happened yet, as far as anyone has reported. Mike's Tavern is opening its second Chattanooga-area location at 5024 Hunter Road. The Times Free Press first reported the Ooltewah expansion in July. As of an Oct. 2 6AM City restaurant roundup, it was still listed as "coming soon," with an opening window of "Fall 2026" and no specific date. The menu is expected to be similar to the Hixson restaurant's, including brunch. Closer to Hamilton Place, Carhartt announced a store at 2115 Gunbarrel Road, Suite 11, with a planned opening on Thursday, Oct. 1. That announcement came the day before, so it's worth a call before you make the trip.
The park's future is no longer in question. In January, Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp dropped his proposal to open 500 acres of Enterprise South Nature Park to industrial development, after hearing from the public.
The Square's calendar continues into November. Christmas in the Square runs Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Barn Door Boutique hosts a Women and Wine Night on Tuesday, Nov. 17, and the Massage Method Wellness Market returns Saturday, Nov. 21, from 9 a.m. to noon. Live music for those weeks is still listed as to be determined. Until then, the date to plan around is Wednesday, Oct. 14, when the county reopens Poe Run through Bunker 2.
If family is visiting this fall, or someone you know is planning a trip to see Ooltewah in person, it helps to have someone who already knows which weekends are busy. The Gideon Group builds trip plans around the local calendar, from trail closures to Saturday nights at the Square. Schedule a consultation, and we'll help you time the visit well.
