East Tennessee trails, scenic byways & rides

Cherohala Skyway

A 43-mile National Scenic Byway through the Cherokee and Nantahala national forests, along the Tellico River with overlooks and high-elevation balds; the Forest Service lists road cycling. From Tellico Plains, follow TN 165. ⓘ ⓘ

Check first: Forest Service alert: camping is not permitted within 300 feet of the Cherohala Skyway.

Foothills Parkway (Chilhowee to Walland)

16.6 miles one-way from US-129 by Chilhowee Lake to US-321 near Walland, with 14 scenic overlooks; at mile 7.1 a 0.8-mile paved trail leads to Look Rock Tower. ⓘ

Check first: NPS: a parking tag is required to park in the Smokies for more than 15 minutes, and there are no trash cans at the parkway’s parking areas — pack it out.

Ocoee Scenic Byway

The first national forest scenic byway in the nation — 26 miles of US 64 and Forest Road 77 past Parksville Lake, the Ocoee River Gorge and the Ocoee Whitewater Center, plus the 7-mile Chilhowee Scenic Spur. ⓘ

Norris Freeway

A 21-mile National Scenic Byway starting at Rocky Top, built in 1934 as a supply route for Norris Dam, TVA’s first hydroelectric project — past the Town of Norris and Norris Dam State Park. ⓘ

East Tennessee Crossing — Tennessee’s Wilderness Road

An 83-mile National Scenic Byway on US-25 and US-25E from the North Carolina line through Del Rio, Newport and White Pine to Cumberland Gap, part of the Wilderness Road Heritage Highway. ⓘ

Cumberland National Scenic Byway

156 miles across eight Upper Cumberland counties, from Cumberland Gap toward the Cumberland River, connecting Rugby, Big South Fork and the Sgt. York and Cordell Hull sites. ⓘ

Sequatchie Valley National Scenic Byway

65 miles starting in Jasper, following the Sequatchie Valley between Walden’s Ridge and the Cumberland Plateau escarpment — TDOT names rock climbing, bicycling, kayaking and fishing along the way. ⓘ

Walton Road

Completed in 1801 as the Cumberland Turnpike, the route follows today’s US 70 through four Cumberland Plateau counties, with Ozone Falls nearby and an eastern end at Fort Southwest Point in Kingston. ⓘ

Newfound Gap Road & Kuwohi

Newfound Gap Road (US 441) crosses the high pass linking the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the Smokies; the Appalachian Trail winds through spruce-fir forest there, and Kuwohi Road climbs to a lookout tower. ⓘ ⓘ

Check first: NPS: parking demand at Kuwohi often exceeds capacity — come with a backup destination and park with all four wheels off the road.

Tail of the Dragon (US 129 at Deals Gap)

318 curves in 11 miles of US 129 at Deals Gap on the Tennessee–North Carolina line, bordered by the Smokies and Cherokee National Forest with no intersecting roads or driveways. ⓘ

Check first: Blount Tourism: the turns are tight — ride with caution.

“The Spider” routes from Sneedville

Eight Hancock County motorcycle routes fan out from downtown Sneedville — from the 34-mile “Web” to Duffield, VA, to the hairpin-turn “Widow Maker” on TN-66 toward Rogersville. ⓘ

Windrock Park

Off-road and mountain biking trails across 73,000 acres near Oliver Springs; dirt bikes, ATVs, SxSs and full-size trucks or Jeeps are welcome, on trails rated easy to extremely difficult. ⓘ

Check first: Windrock: a permit is required for each person regardless of age, helmets are required under 18, and the trail system has a zero-tolerance alcohol policy.

Windrock Bike Park

A shuttled downhill bike park at Windrock, open year-round with a bike shop and rental bikes. ⓘ

Check first: Windrock Bike Park: closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and when snow or ice affect the shuttle roads.

Obed Wild & Scenic River

Whitewater streams that draw seasoned paddlers from across the eastern U.S. — the NPS says even its Class II sections are not suitable for beginners. ⓘ

Check first: NPS: the rivers can rise dramatically and without warning, and the water is cold almost year-round.

Hiwassee Scenic River

23 miles of the Hiwassee, designated in 1968 as the first river in Tennessee’s State Scenic River Program — an intermediate paddling and rafting river. ⓘ

Check first: TNSP: TVA releases can raise water levels rapidly, personal flotation devices are required, and Gee Creek Campground closes for renovation from early spring 2027 until an anticipated summer 2028 reopening.

Ocoee Whitewater Center

Site of the world’s first Olympic whitewater event on a natural river in 1996; today you can hike or bike forest trails, play in the water and picnic along the river. ⓘ

Check first: Forest Service: the visitor center burned in April 2022; trails and both parking lots have reopened, but the fenced area around the visitor center stays closed.

Lake paddling

Kayak and canoe on 200-acre Cove Lake, or rent a kayak, canoe or pedal boat at the Warriors’ Path marina on Fort Patrick Henry Lake — more lakes and marinas on our hubs. ⓘ

Warriors’ Path mountain bike trails

Just over 1,000 acres on Fort Patrick Henry Lake, with a mountain bike trail system designated a National Recreational Trail plus hiking trails. ⓘ

Panther Creek State Park trails

Hike or bike 28+ miles of trails along the shores of Cherokee Lake. ⓘ

Check first: TNSP: construction since April 13, 2026 closes the pool parking lot, playground and its restrooms, and the volleyball and basketball courts, through about mid-2027.

Tweetsie Trail

A 9.6-mile rail-trail of packed rock on the old East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad line between Johnson City and Elizabethton, for walking, running and biking. ⓘ

Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness

Over 60 miles of trails and greenways in the heart of Knoxville linking a nature center, lakes, quarries and five city parks — hike, bike, climb or paddle. ⓘ

Cades Cove Loop Road

An 11-mile one-way road the NPS calls a popular bicycling area, with wildlife viewing and 19th-century homesites; the park has no mountain biking trails. ⓘ

Check first: NPS: the loop is motor vehicle-free on Wednesdays for part of the year (dates to be announced), and all bikes must follow the 20 mph speed limit.

Appalachian Trail in Tennessee

74.7 trail miles in Tennessee plus 217.8 miles shared along the North Carolina–Tennessee line, through the Cherokee National Forest and the Smokies. ⓘ

Check first: ATC lists a Hurricane Helene storm-damage alert, a closed Cosby Knob Shelter in the Smokies and a Nolichucky River detour, plus a burn ban in the Roan Highlands.

Cumberland Trail State Park

A linear park of over 40,000 acres along the Cumberland Plateau, with trail maps for sections from Cumberland Gap south to Prentice Cooper. ⓘ

Check first: TNSP: all caves on Cumberland Trail lands are closed (White Nose Syndrome), and creek levels can change suddenly — use extreme caution near waterfalls.

Obed — Lilly Bluff trails

Four trails at Lilly Bluff: the 0.3-mile Overlook Trail is stroller- and wheelchair-friendly with minimal help, and the 3.8-mile round-trip Point Trail passes a hidden natural arch. ⓘ

Check first: NPS: ticks are common, and watch for copperheads and rattlesnakes.

Big South Fork

350 miles of hiking trails organized into five zones, from short river walks to multi-day backcountry trips; the full trail list is downloadable from the NPS. ⓘ

Frozen Head State Park

Cumberland Mountains wilderness near Wartburg — during renovations, TNSP says the only open trail is the strenuous Chimney Top Trail behind the visitor center. ⓘ

Check first: TNSP: Big Cove and Flat Fork campsites, the visitor center and a number of trails are closed for renovation, and a flintlock-style hunt runs Nov 7–8, 2026.

Great Smoky Mountains trails

More than 800 miles of trails; the NPS notes most are out-and-back, with very few loop hikes. ⓘ

Check first: NPS: Laurel Falls Trail closed Jan 6, 2025 for about 18 months of rehabilitation, and Bullhead Trail is closed Monday–Thursday through Nov 19.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Trails from the 600-foot Pinnacle Overlook walk — three states on a clear day — to challenging backcountry routes. ⓘ