Gateway to the South: A Field Trip on the Geography of Chattanooga and the Southeastern United States

Students on a field trip to Point Park work on drawing maps of the Tennessee Valley around Chattanooga.

NPS/C. Barr

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park preserves the landscapes in around Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Union and Confederate Armies clashed during the summer and fall of 1863 during the American Civil War. The vast majority of students who visit Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park do so in support of their curriculum related to the Civil War and Reconstruction. However, the reason armies fought here during the Civil War was due in large part to the geography of the region. The confluence of the Tennessee River, the Cumberland Plateau, Lookout Mountain, and the greater Appalachian chain made Chattanooga the gateway to the Deep South. By visiting Point Park, students can see first hand how geography can shape human activity.

Curriculum Standards
A Geography focused field trip to Point Park on Lookout Mountain will reinforce the following topics with your students:

- Recognizing basic map symbols and cardinal directions
- Locating topographical features on the earth's surface
- Analyze how location and geography can affect people's lives
- Describe how physical geography has affected the history of the United States, including American Indian groups in the region, and the later development of roads, rail, and the Civil War era.
- Describe how the geography of the eastern United States both hindered and benefited territorial expansion from 1801-1861.

Rangers will tailor the specific topics covered based on the grade level and state standards for your individual class.

Field Trip Locations

This geography-focused field trip is primarily geared towards Point Park on Lookout Mountain. From this vantage point more than 1,500 above the city of Chattanooga, students can see numerous geographic features, including a river, creeks, mountains, plateaus, a peninsula, and ridges.

If you are unable to schedule a physical field trip to the park, check out some of our educational videos on Early American Indians, Indian Removal and the Trail of Tears, Causes of the Civil War, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Geography.

Things to Do During Your Field Trip

In addition to your ranger-guided program on geography, there are other things to do as well.

There is a small picnic area located just outside the gates of Point Park. Many classes chose to spend time walking through Point Park and enjoying the view from the park's various overlooks. The park operates a small museum exhibit inside the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center, which is located across the street from Point Park, although there is no park film.

Please note that if you are planning on utilizing the Incline Railroad or visiting the "Battles for Chattanooga," that these are privately run businesses who are not connected to the park. You will need to visit their websites to coordinate any visitrs with them independently.

 

Geography Education Program Request Form

If you are interested in bringing your students to participate in a ranger-led program at Lookout Mountain Battlefield - Point Park (110 Point Park Road, Lookout Mountain, TN 37350), please complete and submit this form. There is NO charge for the program. If your students are 16 years of age or older, you will need to complete the Academic Fee Waiver Request section. However, if your students are 15 years of age or younger, you will not need to complete the Academic Fee Waiver Request section.  

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/30/2025

Learning Accommodations

Does anyone in your group need any accommodations?

Yes No

If yes, describe the accommodation need.

Next Step

School / Organization Contact Information

School / Organization Name (required)

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Contact Email Address (required)

Contact Phone Number (required)
123-456-7890 extension if any

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ZIP (required)
Five digit ZIP code [99999]

Next Step

Group Details - Park Visit/ Field Trip

Name of Primary Contact Visiting if Different Than Above (optional)

Title / Position of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Email Address of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Phone Number of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)
Format: 123-456-7890

Program Name or Subject Requested/Self-Guided

Grade Level(s) of Students (required)

Number of Staff / Chaperones (required)

Number of Students (required)

Preferred Date of Visit (required)
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My preferred date has been confirmed by the park (required)

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Alternative Date(s) (required)
Enter one or more dates .

Anticipated Arrival Time (required)

Anticipated Departure Time (required)

Mode of Transportation (required)

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.

Next Step

Academic Fee Waiver

Visitors 16 years of age or older (including students, chaperones, and teachers) must pay an entrance fee at this site. Academic institutions (including schools) may apply for an academic fee waiver to cover the cost of these visitors. The number of teachers/chaperones that are covered with a waiver varies depending on the size of the group.

Would you like to request an academic fee waiver for your group?

Yes. I need to complete the fee waiver application. No I do not need a fee waiver.

For this section, all of the criteria fields and the acknowledgement checkbox are required for the waiver.

Certification

Academic fee waivers are not granted automatically. Applicant groups must show they qualify for the waiver. There are three criteria the group must meet to qualify for an academic fee waiver: eligibility, relevance of park resources or facilities to academic program, and academic purpose. Details of these qualifications are listed below. If your institution and purpose meet these criteria, submit this form.

Criterion One - Eligibility

Describe and/or attach current official recognition or accreditation as an educational institution by a federal, state, or local government or other documentation attesting to educational status, such as an accreditation letter, educational tax-exempt letter.

Attach Supporting Document for Eligibility (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, and Google Doc

Criterion Two - Educational Purpose

Verify how this visit supports a specific curriculum for which academic credit is offered. For example, attach a course syllabus/description, course catalog, lesson plan, letter detailing the educational purpose, etc., and/or describe.

Attach Supporting Document for Educational Purpose (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word and Google Doc

Criterion Three - Relevance of Park Resources or Facilities

Identify the pertinent park resources and/or facilities and detail how they are relevant to support the educational purpose of the visit (attach letter or describe).

Attach Supporting Document for Relevance (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word and Google Doc

Authorized School / Organization Contact Name (required)

Title / Position

Acknowledgement (required)

The Recreation Fee Authority (16 USC 6802 Sections 3 a and b) allows for fee waivers only for bona fide educational and/or scientific institutions that are using the park for educational purposes. I hereby certify that the above detailed trip meets these requirements and therefore request that fees be waived.

Current official documentation of recognition of affiliation as an educational institution by a Federal, State or local government entity, or other evidence attesting to educational status is attached (e.g. accreditation letter, educational tax-exempt letter). It is insufficient to merely state or imply this on official letterhead.

By checking this box I acknowledge that I have read the Acknowledgement.

Date of Acknowledgement (required)
format mmddyyyy

Submit my Education Reservation Request

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NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.

 

For directions and other information about getting to the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Center, see the information below. 

Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center

Atop Lookout Mountain, discover details about the siege of Chattanooga and the battles for control of the city. View exhibits and the historic 13- by 30-foot James Walker painting,THE BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN. Point Park has battery positions, monuments, exhibits, trails, and views.

Addresses

Physical Address

110 Point Park Road
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350

Mailing Address

110 Point Park Road
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350

Directions

From Exit 178, turn left onto Broad Street. Broad Street will become U.S. Highway 41 (Cummings Highway). Turn left onto TN Highway 148. Continue on TN Highway 148 to the top of Lookout Mountain. At the top, turn right onto East Brow Road. The Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center is located at the end of East Brow Road, across the street from the Point Park Entrance Gate

Hours & Seasons

• Every Day:8:30 AM–5:00 PM

Inside the visitor center, view exhibits and the historic 13- by 30-foot James Walker painting,THE BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN. The visitor center is closed Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Closures & Seasonal Exceptions

Holidays

2025–2026

New Year's Day	January 1, 2026	Closed
Christmas Day	December 25, 2025	Closed
Holiday	Date	Hours

Amenities

• Accessible Rooms
• Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
• Baby Changing Station
• Braille
• Captioned Media
• Electrical Outlet/Cell Phone Charging
• Fire Extinguisher
• First Aid Kit Available
• First Aid/Medical Care Available
• Gifts/Souvenirs/Books
• Groceries/Convenience Items
• Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
• Information
• Information - Maps Available
• Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present
• Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board
• Parking - Auto
• Permits Issued
• Picnic Table
• Restroom
• Restroom - Accessible
• Toilet - Flush
• Trailhead
• Water - Bottle-Filling Station
• Water - Drinking/Potable
• Wheelchair Accessible
• Wheelchairs Available

Contact Information

Email Address

Send this visitor center an email

Phone Numbers

• Voice phone number
  [phone]
• Fax number
  [phone]

Image Gallery

The relatively small, one story Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center is seen here.

Seen from one of the Army Corp's of Engineer's castle turrets, Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center houses the 13 foot x 30 foot James Walker Painting, entitled "The Battle of Lookout Mountain."
NPS Photo