Long before Lula Lake Land Trust (LLLT) existed, the Durham property was part of a bustling mining town. Mining at Durham dates back as far as 1891 with indications that it began prior to the Civil War. At one time, the town was said to have a workforce of about 30,000 people and even had electricity before Chattanooga. This property connected to other LLLT lands through the old Durham Rail line, which extended all the way to our Core Preserve, which now serves as the gravel road that passes right beside Lula Lake and Lula Falls.

This overworked land was depleted in the wake of mining, leaving the make-shift town abandoned. As such, the landscape void of life. Over the past 80 years, nature has reclaimed this property and only a few mine entrances, structural foundations, and old railroad beds remain to tell the stories of the past. 

In 1999 the land trust acquired 1,300 acres from Drummond Coal Company at an auction. LLLT commissioned a master plan for recreational opportunities in the early 2000ss. In 2009, LLLT created the 5 Points Recreation Area with 21 miles of recreational trails available for mountain biking, hiking, trail running, and limited equestrian use. LLLT then completed the Cloudland Connector Trail System from Ascalon Road into the Cloudland Canyon State Park’s core property in 2014, and once complete, the 5 Points Recreation Area was then deeded to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to include as part of CCSP. At that time, LLLT only owned 5-acres of the Durham property and it was used regularly by educational groups to dig for fossils. Finally, in May of 2019, LLLT purchased the remaining 485-acre Durham property and began conceptualizing its recreational future… leading us to this moment.

Four years later, we’ve completed close to 15 miles of trails that are now open daily to the community!

The grand opening of Durham was celebrated on Saturday, March 18, with a crowd gathered at the new Durham Mine Trailhead parking area. LLLT held a challenge adventure, guided hikes, and ribbon cutting ceremony with food, drinks, and live music from Jaguar Shark. 

The Durham Mine Trails parking lot is now open to the public from dawn until dusk everyday - reservations are NOT required! GPS Coordinates: 34°51'55.4"N 85°25'08.5"W or click here for Google directions. For full details on visiting Durham and the overview of trails, please visit our dedicated webpage here.

This remarkable feat was made possible through the dedication and support of many:

LLLT Land Manager Patrick Kelly and assistant Land Manager Mason Price worked tirelessly digging, busting rocks, carrying logs and boulders, building bridges, kiosks, and jumps. In 3-years, Patrick and Mason have worked thousands of hours dedicated to providing a new recreational adventure to our community. Their dedication and vision has paid off! 

Lula Lake's dear friends at Riverview Foundation, including Mr. Bruz Clark, helped fund much of the infrastructure and trail work at Durham. Over the past 3 decades, Riverview and Lyndhurst Foundations have been strong supporters of conservation and recreation on Lookout Mountain. Without their critical support, LLLT would not have a fraction of the trails systems that exist on Lookout Mountain, including 5 Points, Moonshine Trails, The Cloudland Connector Trail, Ascalon Trails, and now the Durham Mine Trails.

REI Co-op helped fund our additional trail builders through a 2-year grant, and Chattanooga Hiking Club donated funds specifically to the trails and kiosk materials. 

When LLLT began building trails in 2020, we had many individuals and groups pour hours of sweat equity into the Durham Mine Trails! In total, Over 250 volunteers worked a combined 1,100+ hours clearing and cutting trails and building bridges. These volunteers include Chattanooga Dock Builders,Chattanooga Hiking Club, Covenant Logistics, The McCallie School, Chattanooga REI Store, Nissan and Tread Lightly!, Southern Wilderness Stewards, Southeast Conservation Corp (SECC), UBS, Wild Trails, Heartwood Land Management, The Girls Preparatory School, and various Scout Troops and Eagle Scouts.

And lastly…we owe a very special thanks to our supporters! We had over 200 donors support the Durham trails through our special fundraising campaigns. Without the support of our community, both financially and through volunteerism, we would still be out there building trails and fundraising for this project!