St. Elmo sits at the foot of Lookout Mountain in South Chattanooga. It became a local historic district in 1992, and as more of its historic homes have been restored, the neighborhood has grown more popular.
Up the mountain
From St. Elmo, you can ride the Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain. Built in 1895 and known as “America’s Most Amazing Mile,” it’s the world’s steepest passenger railway, and CARTA operates it. On Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls, Rock City, Sunset Rock, and many hiking trails remain popular. Point Park is part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, which preserves the site of the Civil War’s Battle Above the Clouds.
Trails from the neighborhood
St. Elmo is the southern trailhead of the Tennessee Riverwalk, so you can walk or bike from here along the river toward downtown. The neighborhood also has trail access to Lookout Mountain and Hawkins Ridge, including the Guild Trail and the Hawkins Ridge Footpath, and the Virginia Avenue Greenway connects to the Riverwalk.
Getting around
The city’s plan counts St. Elmo among its walkable neighborhoods. CARTA’s St. Elmo/Incline Shuttle runs from downtown every 50 minutes, 8 AM to 8:30 PM, seven days a week, with stops at Historic St. Elmo, the Incline Railway, and Food City. Route 1 also serves the area every 30 minutes. Go early in summer. Parking near the Incline fills up then, and Tennessee Avenue and St. Elmo Avenue now have paid street parking.
Transit times and fares come from the city’s 2024 transit study, and places come from the Plan Chattanooga planning documents. Schedules change, so check CARTA before you ride.