Nearby Attractions
Piney Falls
Piney Falls is a 818-acre natural area located in Rhea County where Little Piney and Soak Creek have carved deep gorges into the Cumberland Plateau. It is a pristine forest that features creeks, deep gorges, waterfalls and old growth forest. Piney Falls is also recognized by the United States Department of Interior as a National Natural Landmark. It is one of only fourteen National Natural Landmarks in Tennessee. These landmarks recognize the country’s best remaining examples of major biotic communities and geologic features.
The City of Dayton and Rhea County
The City of Dayton and Rhea County are located in Southeast Tennessee on Chickamauga Lake. This reservoir, created in 1940, stretches more than 59 miles in length from its dam in Chattanooga to Watts Bar Dam in Spring City and offers abundant fishing and water sports assets. In 2000, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) stocked Chickamauga Lake with Florida largemouth bass as a test case to build on the lake’s habitat assets. By 2011, bass anglers began reporting astounding catches weighing in five bass over 30 pounds. At that time, Rhea County was a Distressed County and Dayton leaders saw an opportunity to create a new bass fishing marketing program and construct new tournament amenities to leverage their lake assets.
Spring City Watts Bar Lake
Spring City offers small town values with a big sense of adventure! The community is surrounded by such natural beauty that we have four seasons of adventures. Not only is it The Home of Watts Bar Lake™, it also has the Cumberland Trail! There are several hiking opportunities that you can choose from. Spring City is part of the Tennessee RiverLine community. Spring City offers abundant fishing and water sports. With some of the largest fishing tournaments in the area. The park is only 10 mins from boat ramp access for tournaments and water sport activities. So, if you enjoy fishing, kayaking, boating, skiing, paddle boarding, and all other water sports, you have found the right place.
Boat Ramp Locations
417 Toestring Valley Rd,
Spring City, TN 37381
843 New Lake Rd,
Spring City, TN 37381
Stinging Fork Falls State Park
Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area, a Tennessee Class II Natural-Scientific State Scenic Area, is located in Rhea County, Tennessee, near Spring City. The Stinging Fork Falls trail terminates at the bottom of Stinging Fork Falls, a 30-foot high waterfall, about 1 mile from the parking area. A future segment of the Cumberland Trail is planned to connect to the falls.
Pocket Wilderness
Laurel Snow Pocket Wilderness is exploding with trails, creeks, waterfalls, and steep gorges, perfect for hikers, climbers, photographers, and campers alike. The Laurel-Snow Trail was the first National Recreation Trail designated in Tennessee and at just under 35 miles from downtown Chattanooga, it is perfect for a day hike, for a day of climbing, or for setting up basecamp for the weekend. The 2,000-acre area sits along the Walden Ridge of the Cumberland Plateau and offers a plethora of trails to explore.
The Scopes Trial Museum - Take a Tour!
The Rhea County Historical and Genealogical Society's mission is to discover, collect, preserve and display materials which will help illustrate the rich history and heritage of Rhea County, Tennessee. A big part of that is restoring the Scopes Trial Museum, located in the basement of the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton. The Rhea County Courthouse is a historically and architecturally significant building. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976.
SHOPPING
There are lots of locally owned shops in historic downtown Dayton. Stop into The Gathering Place for local crafters and antiques. Don't forget to grab a cone from Scoopy's Ice Cream while you are there! The Haven Beauty Room is a great hair salon and trendy boutique with all of the must have items. Stroll down Market Street to check out all of the local vendors.
DINING
Spring city:
B.B's Diner
Ayala's Mexican Restaurant
Nicks Lakeside Grill
Terrace View Marina (Seasonal)
La Hacienda
Glory Coffee
Windsteads Grill
Dayton:
The Screen Door Kitchen
Monkey Town Brewing
Carabelle's
Jacob Myers
Delias Mexican Restaurant
Drip Coffee Shop
Enjoy one of our local culinary experiences
