guides · From the editor's notebook
A Local's Guide to Dayton: Scopes Trial History and the Laurel-Snow Trails
Dayton, Tennessee is the 1925 Scopes "Monkey Trial" town -- walk the historic courthouse, hike the waterfalls of Laurel-Snow, and grab a pint at Monkey Town Brewing.
Dayton is a small Tennessee River town with an outsized place in American history and some of the best gorge hiking in the region right at its back door. The seat of Rhea County, it's the town where the 1925 Scopes "Monkey Trial" played out -- and it has worn the "Monkey Town" nickname with good humor ever since. Come for the history, stay for the waterfalls.
What is Dayton known for?
The Scopes Trial. In the summer of 1925, schoolteacher John Scopes stood trial here for teaching evolution, in a case that pitted William Jennings Bryan against Clarence Darrow and drew the eyes of the country. The Rhea County Courthouse where it happened still stands downtown, with a museum in the basement that tells the story. It's a genuine piece of national history you can walk through.
Things to do in Dayton
Beyond the courthouse, the headline is the outdoors. Laurel Snow State Natural Area is a designated National Recreation Trail leading to two waterfalls -- Laurel Falls and Snow Falls -- through a rugged gorge that's among the best hikes in the area. Add the Tennessee River frontage and you've got a full day of history in the morning and trail in the afternoon.
Where to eat and drink in Dayton
The local favorite is Monkey Town Brewing -- named, of course, for the trial -- which pairs house beer with a full kitchen and is the natural gathering spot in town. Screen Door Kitchen is the from-scratch local table, Delia's Mexican Restaurant the dependable Mexican pick, and the barbecue runs deep between MO MO's Bar BQ, Banjo's BBQ, and Alexander's Texas-style BBQ. For coffee, Jennings Coffee & Tea and the long-running Dayton Coffee Shop both do the trick.
When to go
July is the big one: the Scopes Trial Festival and Play reenacts the trial in the very courthouse where it happened -- the most distinctive time to visit. The trails are good spring through fall; summer afternoons are hot, so hit Laurel-Snow in the morning.
The bottom line
Dayton is a real-history, real-trail town -- no theme park, just the courthouse, the gorge, and a brewery with a sense of humor about all of it. We surface what's worth the drive; you set the pace. See what's on this week at the Lineup.