🧭 Hundred-Mile Happenings: Bigfoot Tales on Monte Sano, a Barn Owl Named Winnie, a Ranger Caravan Across Chickamauga Battlefield, a Black-Light Night Hike, Halloween Wiener Dog Races and Bats and Leaf Lanterns at Cathedral Caverns

Or: Hear About Bigfoot by the Amphitheater, Meet a Real Barn Owl, Follow a Ranger Across a Battlefield, Watch the Woods Glow, Cheer a Wiener Dog at a Hockey Game and Build a Leaf Lantern by a Giant Cave — Seven New Day Trips Within About 100 Miles of Dunlap

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Good morning, neighbor. Pour that coffee. Here’s batch number fifty-five of Hundred-Mile Happenings, our running list of unusual, family-friendly outings within about 100 miles of Dunlap. Same promise as always: when, where, how far, what it costs and who’ll love it, in plain words. And no repeats. Every one of these is new to the list.

This time we’re stepping outside the usual Tennessee state park lineup for a little variety: a nature center, a national battlefield, three North Alabama state parks and even a hockey rink. On Friday evening, Oct. 23, a naturalist at Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville talks Appalachian folklore, Bigfoot and the Mothman. On Fridays and Saturdays at Reflection Riding in Chattanooga, you can meet Winnie the barn owl. Every weekend, park rangers lead a free caravan tour of Chickamauga Battlefield just over the Georgia line. On Friday night, Oct. 30, Lake Guntersville State Park hands out black-light flashlights for a short glowing night hike. On Halloween night, Oct. 31, the Huntsville Havoc hockey team runs wiener dog races at intermission. And at Cathedral Caverns, kids can learn about bats on Oct. 31 and make leaf lanterns on Nov. 7.

⏱️ Your 30-second trip list

• Fri., Oct. 23, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Fantastic Folklore of Appalachia, Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville. $8 plus park day-use fee; older kids and adults.
• Fridays and Saturdays, 1 p.m. Eastern (NOON our time) — Oct. 23, 30 and 31: Owl Odyssey with Winnie the barn owl, Reflection Riding, Chattanooga. Ticket price: check before you go.
• Every Sat. and Sun., 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eastern (9 a.m. and 1 p.m. our time): Chickamauga Battlefield Overview Tour, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. Free.
• Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Black Light Night Hike, Lake Guntersville State Park. $5.
• Sat., Oct. 31, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Howl-O-Wiener Dog Races at the Huntsville Havoc game, Von Braun Center. Game ticket required.
• Sat., Oct. 31, 10:30 a.m., and Sat., Nov. 7, 1:30 p.m. (Central — our time): Junior Rangers Discover Bats ($3) and Cave Art: Leaf Lanterns ($7), Cathedral Caverns State Park, Woodville, Ala.

🕰️ The one thing to remember: Chattanooga and Georgia are Eastern. Alabama is Central, same as us. Reflection Riding (Chattanooga) and Chickamauga Battlefield (Georgia) run one hour ahead, so subtract an hour: Owl Odyssey at 1 p.m. Eastern is NOON our time, and the battlefield tours at 10 and 2 Eastern are 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. our time. Huntsville, Guntersville and Woodville, Ala., are on Central, so their times are our times. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 — set the clocks back Saturday night. The one-hour difference with Chattanooga stays the same after the switch.

👣 Hear Mountain Folklore and Bigfoot Tales Under the Trees at Monte Sano

Bigfoot. Sasquatch. The Yeti. The Mothman. People have swapped stories about mountain monsters for centuries, and the Appalachians have more than their share. To kick off spooky season, District Naturalist Amber Coger gives a special evening presentation at Monte Sano State Park, high on the mountain above Huntsville, all about the monsters and folklore of the Appalachian Mountains — and the age-old question, “is it real?” It’s a fun, front-porch kind of talk, not a fright show.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Fri., Oct. 23, 2026, 7 p.m. Central Time — our time.
• Where: Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville, Ala. Meet at the park amphitheater. Host: (256) 603-2204.
• How far: About 100–105 miles, roughly 2 to 2¼ hours, by way of Jasper, Scottsboro and U.S. 72. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: $8 program fee; register on the Alabama State Parks page. The park also lists a day-use fee (about $5 adults, $2 seniors 62+ and kids 4–11); check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Tall-tale lovers, teens, Bigfoot believers and skeptics alike. The park says this one is for older kids and adults.
• Good to know: You’ll be driving home in the dark, getting back late, so bring a co-pilot, or make a weekend of it in Huntsville. Bring a jacket and a flashlight; it’s cool on the mountain at night.

👉 Read more (Alabama State Parks — Fantastic Folklore of Appalachia)

🦉 Meet Winnie the Barn Owl at Reflection Riding

Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center sits at the foot of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, with trails, meadows and a native animal area. On Friday and Saturday afternoons, Wildlife Curator Taylor and the center’s newest animal ambassador, Winnie the barn owl, share what makes barn owls so unique, elusive and important — the heart-shaped face, the silent flight and why farmers have always liked having one around the barn. The center calls them “the ghosts of nature.”

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Fri., Oct. 23; Fri., Oct. 30; and Sat., Oct. 31, 2026, 1–2 p.m. Eastern. Subtract an hour: that’s NOON to 1 p.m. OUR time.
• Where: Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37419. (423) 821-1160.
• How far: About 35 miles, roughly 1 hour, heading south toward Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Check before you go. The center’s page says adults supervising children must also hold a paid ticket, but it doesn’t list the price; a Times Free Press listing called it free, with donations encouraged.
• Who’ll love it: Kids who love animals, bird watchers, farm families and anybody who’s heard a screech in the barn at night and wondered.
• Good to know: Leave the dog at home — no dogs at this program, for Winnie’s safety. It’s an outdoor program, so it can be canceled for bad weather, and the center won’t force an animal that isn’t in the mood. On the same days, a Wild Wonders native animal walk-through follows (1:30 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 23 and 30; 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 31).

👉 Read more (Reflection Riding — Owl Odyssey)

🎖️ Follow a Park Ranger Across Chickamauga Battlefield — Free, Every Weekend

Here’s one you can do any Saturday or Sunday this fall. Chickamauga Battlefield, part of the nation’s oldest national military park, is just past Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. On weekends, a park ranger leads a 90-minute Battlefield Overview Tour. You drive your own car in a caravan behind the ranger, and at each stop the ranger tells what happened on that ground in September 1863. It’s history told plainly, by the folks who know the field best.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Every Saturday and Sunday from Labor Day to Memorial Day, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eastern. Subtract an hour: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. OUR time. Upcoming weekends include Oct. 24–25, Oct. 31–Nov. 1 and Nov. 7–8.
• Where: Start at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center, 3370 LaFayette Rd., Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742. Park: (706) 866-9241.
• How far: About 38 miles, roughly 1 hour, south through Chattanooga. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Free. The park says there are no admission fees for programs at Chickamauga Battlefield.
• Who’ll love it: Veterans, Civil War buffs, homeschool families, grandparents with grandkids and anybody who’s driven by those monuments and wanted to know the story.
• Good to know: A tour needs at least four adults to go, so stop by the front desk when you arrive. There’s not much walking, but you’ll stand 15–20 minutes at a stop, so a folding stool helps. Tours depend on staff and weather. The park also offers a free cell-phone tour for exploring on your own.

👉 Read more (National Park Service — Chickamauga and Chattanooga tours)

🔦 Watch the Woods Glow on a Black-Light Night Hike at Lake Guntersville

Here’s something most of us have never seen. Some plants, lichens, mushrooms and critters glow under ultraviolet light — scientists call it biofluorescence. At Lake Guntersville State Park, a naturalist hands you a black-light flashlight and leads a short night walk along Daniel’s Trail so you can see the park “in a new light.”

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Fri., Oct. 30, 2026, 7 p.m. Central Time — our time.
• Where: Lake Guntersville State Park, Guntersville, Ala. Meet at the Campground Store. Host: (256) 673-6137.
• How far: About 95–100 miles, roughly 2 hours, by way of Jasper and Scottsboro. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: $5 program fee; register on the Alabama State Parks page. Black-light flashlights are provided.
• Who’ll love it: Curious kids, science-minded teens, photographers and anybody who’d like a Halloween-week night out that’s more “wow” than “boo.”
• Good to know: It’s about 0.7 mile on easy-to-moderate ground, and the park rates it moderate, so wear sturdy shoes. Bring water, bug spray and a trail snack. You’ll get home late on dark roads; bring a co-pilot, or stay over at the park.

👉 Read more (Alabama State Parks — Black Light Night Hike)

🐕 Cheer the Wiener Dogs on Halloween Night With the Huntsville Havoc

Now here’s a quirky one. The Huntsville Havoc, Huntsville’s pro hockey team, is throwing a Howl-O-Wiener Dog Races night on Halloween: trick-or-treating in the lobby for the kids, then wiener dog races at intermission. Picture a pack of little dachshunds scrambling across the arena while the whole crowd cheers. Got a wiener dog of your own? The team has a sign-up form to enter your dog.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Oct. 31, 2026, 7 p.m. Central Time — our time.
• Where: Von Braun Center, 700 Monroe St. SW, Huntsville, AL 35801. Havoc office: (256) 518-6160.
• How far: About 100–105 miles, roughly 2 hours, by way of Scottsboro and U.S. 72. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: You’ll need a game ticket. The team’s page doesn’t list the price, so check the Havoc box office before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Kids in costume, dog lovers, hockey fans and anybody who needs a good belly laugh.
• Good to know: It’s a late night with a long drive home in the dark, but here’s a gift: the clocks fall back an hour that night, so you get an extra hour of sleep. Presented by Hollywood Feed.

👉 Read more (Huntsville Havoc — Upcoming Home Games)
👉 Enter your wiener dog (Huntsville Havoc — Wiener Dog Race Registration)

🦇 Meet the Bats and Make a Leaf Lantern at Cathedral Caverns

Cathedral Caverns State Park, near Woodville, Ala., is known for one of the widest cave entrances you’ll ever stand in. On two Saturdays, the park’s naturalist runs hands-on programs just right for kids. Junior Rangers Discover Bats! teaches all about the bats of the world — and every kid crafts and decorates a bat to take home, while learning what it means to be a Junior Ranger. A week later, Cave Art: Leaf Lanterns has everyone forage for pretty autumn leaves, then glue them into a tea-light lantern of your own design.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Junior Rangers Discover Bats: Sat., Oct. 31, 2026, 10:30 a.m. Cave Art: Leaf Lanterns: Sat., Nov. 7, 2026, 1:30 p.m. Central Time — our time.
• Where: Cathedral Caverns State Park, Woodville, Ala. Both meet at the Gift Shop Patio. Host: (256) 609-7482.
• How far: About 80–85 miles, roughly 1¾ hours, by way of Jasper, Scottsboro and U.S. 72. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Bats: $3. Leaf Lanterns: $7, all materials included. Register on the Alabama State Parks page; seats are limited (about 20–23 left when we checked).
• Who’ll love it: Young kids, grandparents looking for a gentle Saturday outing, and crafty families. Leaf Lanterns is for all ages and skill levels.
• Good to know: For the lantern class, dress for the weather and expect to get a little messy. Want to see the cave itself? The guided cave tour is a separate ticket; the park lists about $20 for adults and $9 for ages 5–12, so check before you go.

👉 Read more (Alabama State Parks — Junior Rangers Discover Bats!)
👉 Read more (Alabama State Parks — Cave Art: Leaf Lanterns)

✅ Remember These Dates

• Fri., Oct. 23, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Fantastic Folklore of Appalachia, Monte Sano, Huntsville. $8; register.
• Fri., Oct. 23, Fri., Oct. 30 and Sat., Oct. 31, NOON OUR time (1 p.m. Eastern): Owl Odyssey, Reflection Riding, Chattanooga.
• Every Sat. and Sun., 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. OUR time (10 and 2 Eastern): Chickamauga Battlefield Overview Tour. Free.
• Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Black Light Night Hike, Lake Guntersville. $5; register.
• Sat., Oct. 31, 10:30 a.m. (Central — our time): Junior Rangers Discover Bats, Cathedral Caverns. $3.
• Sat., Oct. 31, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Howl-O-Wiener Dog Races, Huntsville Havoc, Von Braun Center.
• Sat. night, Oct. 31: Set the clocks back one hour. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
• Sat., Nov. 7, 1:30 p.m. (Central — our time): Cave Art: Leaf Lanterns, Cathedral Caverns. $7.

✅ Trip-planning checklist

• ✅ Write the time zone on the fridge note: Chattanooga and Georgia are Eastern — subtract an hour. Alabama is Central — our time.
• ✅ Sign up early for the Alabama State Parks programs. The register buttons are on each event page, and seats are small. (One Monte Sano night hike this fall already sold out.)
• ✅ Call ahead on details that weren’t posted: the Owl Odyssey ticket price and the Havoc game ticket price.
• ✅ The Huntsville and Guntersville trips are about 2 hours each way and the evening ones end after dark. Bring a co-pilot and a flashlight, or plan an overnight.
• ✅ For the night hike, pack sturdy shoes, water and bug spray. For the battlefield tour, a folding stool.
• ✅ Programs can change with the weather. Check the event page the morning you go.
• ✅ Fill up and grab a snack before you leave the Valley. Find local stops on Dunlap.Directory.

Remember: check the clock, check the weather, and pick the outing that fits your crew. A good day trip gets you home tired and happy, not worn out.

— Dunlap.Today

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Are these events already on earlier Hundred-Mile Happenings lists?

No. We keep a covered-events list and skip anything we’ve already featured. All seven outings are new for article #55. We’ve featured other events near some of the same places, like Reflection Riding’s Campfire Concerts, the artillery demonstrations at Point Park and Astronomy Day on Monte Sano, but these are separate programs.

Which ones are free?

The Chickamauga Battlefield Overview Tour is free. Junior Rangers Discover Bats is $3, the Black Light Night Hike is $5, Cave Art: Leaf Lanterns is $7 and Fantastic Folklore of Appalachia is $8 plus Monte Sano’s day-use fee. The wiener dog races come with a Havoc game ticket. Reflection Riding says adults need a paid ticket for Owl Odyssey but doesn’t post the price, so check before you go.

Which ones are best for young kids?

Junior Rangers Discover Bats and Cave Art: Leaf Lanterns are made for them, and Owl Odyssey is a sure hit with animal lovers. The wiener dog races are a family night out. The folklore talk is meant for older kids and adults.

Which ones are easiest if I don’t walk far?

Owl Odyssey, the Cathedral Caverns crafts, the folklore talk and the hockey game involve little or no hiking. The battlefield tour is mostly driving, with some standing at each stop. The Black Light Night Hike is about 0.7 mile on easy-to-moderate trail in the dark.

Eastern or Central: which clock do I set?

Dunlap and Sequatchie County are on Central. Huntsville, Guntersville and Woodville, Ala., are Central too. Reflection Riding in Chattanooga and Chickamauga Battlefield in Georgia are on Eastern time, one hour ahead, so Owl Odyssey at 1 p.m. Eastern is noon our time, and the battlefield tours at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eastern are 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. our time. That one-hour gap stays the same after the clocks fall back on Nov. 1.

How do you pick these events?

We look for one-of-a-kind, family-friendly outings within about 100 miles of Dunlap, and we check each one against the organizer’s own page or a trusted listing whenever we can. When a detail isn’t posted, we say so. We keep a list so we never repeat an event. If you know a hidden gem, tell us at Dunlap.Today.

🔗 Other Resources

• Alabama State Parks — Fantastic Folklore of Appalachia, Monte Sano
• Alabama State Parks — Monte Sano entrance fees
• Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center — Events calendar
• National Park Service — Chickamauga and Chattanooga ranger tours
• Alabama State Parks — Black Light Night Hike, Lake Guntersville
• Huntsville Havoc — Upcoming Home Games
• Alabama State Parks — Junior Rangers Discover Bats!, Cathedral Caverns
• Alabama State Parks — Cave Art: Leaf Lanterns, Cathedral Caverns
• Alabama State Parks — Cathedral Caverns cave tours
• National Weather Service Morristown: Valley forecast
• Dunlap.Directory: Local businesses for gas, food and supplies

🌅 Slow Down and Go See Something

You don’t need a big trip to make a good memory. A tall tale about Bigfoot, a barn owl looking right back at you, a ranger’s story on a quiet battlefield, a trail that glows in the dark, a dachshund dash on Halloween night and a leaf lantern a child made by hand are all within a drive of the Valley. Grab a buddy, check the clock and the weather, and go.

Keep exploring, keep it easy and keep reading. Read Dunlap.Today for more Hundred-Mile Happenings, and find the Valley businesses that’ll fuel your trip on Dunlap.Directory.