Bear Trace At Harrison Bay

The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay opened in 1999 as a Jack Nicklaus design and is one of the courses in Tennessee's state-park golf trail, managed by Tennessee State Parks. Set about 20 minutes north of Chattanooga inside Harrison Bay State Park, it plays through dense pine and hardwood forest along the Chickamauga Lake shoreline, with 419 Bermuda fairways and Champion Bermuda greens. Water borders roughly a dozen fairways, though Nicklaus routed generous landing areas that reward strategy over brute force. The surrounding 1,200-acre park traces back to a 1930s Tennessee Valley Authority recreation project. The site is also well known for its resident bald eagles; a long-running nest and eagle-cam near the course have made Harrison Bay a point of pride for conservation-minded visitors and a memorable backdrop for a round of golf.