America's Scenic Byways

Great River Road - Tennessee

185.5 miles - Allow approximately six hours.

The Tennessee portion of the Great River Road continues to inspire and welcome thousands of visitors and immigrants to a historic landscape full of hope, soulful culture, and unique opportunities for a better quality of life. The Tennessee route is an interconnected tapestry of special places. Each site has its own indigenous, intrinsic value and sense of place, creating “Human Habitat” on the mighty Mississippi. The special mystique, the almost mythical quality of the Mississippi River in west Tennessee, springs from its unique attributes that are historical, cultural, and natural.

With its beautiful scenic vistas and fascinating points of interest, this 185.5-mile-long corridor will bring you the captivating story of the Mississippi River. In your mind’s eye you’ll see images of barefoot boys floating down river on rafts, and riverboats full of hopeful settlers looking for a new home in the New World. You’ll hear the haunting notes of the Blues, distant reverberations of Civil War cannons, and the sounds of the struggle for freedom and human rights.

Travel the Great River Road through Tennessee to find historical and recreational beauty. Passing through several lakes, you will have chances to fish, swim, boat, and water ski. The Great River Road in Tennessee features four Tennessee State Parks, some smaller Tennessee towns, and the exciting city of Memphis. With its rich outdoor environment and humid climate, Tennessee's Great River Road will surely fascinate you.