News Release

Free Entrance Monday, January 17 at Point Park on Lookout Mountain in Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Date: January 10, 2022
Contact: Todd Milsaps, 706-866-9241, ext. 141

Fort Oglethorpe, GA: Point Park atop Lookout Mountain, part of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, is waiving the entrance fee on Monday, January 17, 2022 to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.  

Former President Ronald Reagan signed into law in 1983 an official holiday to commemorate the birth of the nation’s greatest civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. Born on January 15, 1929, his day would be observed on the third Monday in January. From his birth to his assassination in 1968, he organized large-scale marches, spoke against segregation and discrimination, and faced the nation’s largest societal issues using kindness and love versus violence and hate. In a nationally televised and radio broadcast on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial he gave his iconic speech, “I Have a Dream.” His speech and push for civil rights led to the passage and signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial he said, “…Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee… From every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

Visit Point Park atop Lookout Mountain on this fee free day to indulge in the views and scenery of the Chattanooga Valley from 2,100 feet above, hike the natural and wildlife-abounding Lookout Mountain Battlefield 30-miles of trails, while learning the historical significance of this area during America’s Civil War in what became known as, “The Battle Above the Clouds.” During the day, Park Rangers will provide programs at 11am and 2pm and will also be available at the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center from the hours of 8:30 am to 5:00 pm to answer questions and provide information about the park and the Battles for Chattanooga. 

For more information about programs Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423-821-7786, or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/chch