The possibilities are endless, and they've got some intriguing names, as well. The very best scenic backroads in Tennessee may be largely a matter of personal opinion, but many consider the Cherohala Skyway to be the most scenic drive, hands down. When youre ready to relax for the evening, head to Market Square, near the University of Tennessee. It's known as the, "Blues Highway," traveled by legends like Elvis Presley and BB King. The Great Smoky Mountains are the ultimate Knoxville area getaway, and the Rocky Top Trail offers one of the most scenic ways to see them. It was traveled by Native Americans . In the summer, Splash Country, the Dollywood water park, is the place to cool off. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, is one of Americas most beautiful and beloved parks. Smack in the middle of Tenn. lies Nashville, the country western capital of the country. A drive that's love to see AND historic. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. While Gay Street was the first paved road in Knoxville, its history goes even farther back. Then the Boatmen had to walk or ride back home. The parkway roughly follows the historic Natchez Trace, a trail whose roots goes back to the 1600s evolving from hunting trails used by the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Indians. These two routes will help you bypass Knoxville and offers and easy-going drive. Featured Trip Guides. The cliff-hugging road offers sweeping views, fascinating and diverse flora and fauna, geologic wonders and a myriad of recreation opportunities. After an exciting road trip filled with amazing destinations and unparalleled natural beauty, youll be happy to know that the drive from Nashville to Knoxville is short but full of adventure. Key Stops: Highland Scenic Highway, Cranberry Glades, Falls of Hills Creek. See this and other recommended guides for scenic travel, camping, and RVing. ends, youll take a left across a bridge to Henderson Rd., and then your first right onto Henderson Chapel Rd., which will drop you on the Parkway right next to Music Road Resort Hotel. Drive from Knoxville to Nashville 180.2 miles $30 - $50 Quickest way to get there Cheapest option Distance between Knoxville (TYS) to Nashville (BNA) flights The flight time between Knoxville (TYS) and Nashville (BNA) is around 4h 51m and covers a distance of around 152 miles. We LOVED the energy of the square. The Natchez Trace Parkway is a lonely road that runs from the heart of Tennessee straight on through to Mississippi. The idea is a stress free, scenic, and enjoyable ride in an auto, RV, motorcycle, or road bike (theres a special network of rustic campsites reserved for bike riders). The drive from Nashville to Chattanooga is nearly a straight shot to the southeast via I-24.. Driver's License Requirements. (Knoxville MLS) For Sale: Scenic Dr, South Pittsburg, TN 37380 $47,500 MLS# 1215786 Incredible price for a mostly level lot surrounded by nature! At this point, youll take a right to continue onto Highway 23 and continue north until Highway 23 ends. Whatcom Falls Park. Photo Courtesy: Cari Griffith Photography, Michael McClanahan We think that for many people, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel on such a unique train. Get exclusive stories delivered right to your inbox. Share. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Although it cracks state lines, the road in Tennessee runs down Highway 61 just south of Memphis and through to Mississippi. 238 Visitor Center Dr, Golden Pond, KY 42211, USA. Follow this early route from Knoxville to Nashville across the northern plateau. The night continued with dinner at one of Knoxvilles newest restaurants, J.C. Holdway, a beautiful farm to table restaurant serving up some amazing local fare and thoughtfully crafted mixed drinks. Main Routes: HWY 150, HWY 55, HWY 15. Here you can see Meigs Falls, one of the very few waterfalls you can spot from the road. After purchasing a new bottling line in 2006, the winery now bottles up to 3,000 bottles of wine per hour. As any seasoned traveler knows, the journey is just as important as the destination. Theres just something about the old school and brilliant, exciting, and almost forgotten treks that call to our wanderlust. If you're planning a road trip, you might be interested in seeing the total driving distance from Nashville, TN to Knoxville, TN. Tennessee is nicknamed The Volunteer State because, according to legend, volunteer soldiers from Tennessee contributed heavily to historic victories. For the unofficial start to summer, visit the last week of May for the Barbecue & Bluegrass Festival. Youll find spectacular landscapes, gorgeous flowers, and fragrant trees, right in your own backyard. This Mouthwatering Ice Cream Trail In Tennessee. See if you can catch a show at the legendary Grand Ole Opry where pop artists and country singers perform or head to a smaller venue like The Bluebird Cafe to see incredible live music in a really intimate space. This entrance leads visitors into a vestige of the Cumberland Plateau, which is unspoiled and densely forested. Visitors coming to Pigeon Forge from the west usually have to contend with Knoxville traffic before taking the final stretch to Exit 407. Bing maps either takes us by rt 40 or rts 26 & 25. This is the ultimate place to learn about the history of Blues, Soul and Rock 'n' Roll. Unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of your email. 8. The next morning we grabbed a quick breakfast and coffee at Revelator Coffee Co, and then made the 2-hour trek northeast to Knoxville. Exploring Family Fun In Pigeon Forge, Tn Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is a popular vacation destination for both tourists and residents. . Folks travelling to Pigeon Forge from the East typically take I-40 West to Exit 407, but theres a much more scenic way to reach Pigeon Forge while simultaneously getting the chance to see amazing mountain and rural views. Make memories exploring the diverse, natural beauty of our public lands. Ive never stepped foot in such a massive space in my life. We immediately headed to the Bristol Motor Speedway to check out this world-renowned racetrack. In addition a new road, called Jacksons Military Road was being constructed. Carnton. CMP, Travel the nation's first scenic byway through the Ocoee River Gorge. Youll cross the Little Tennessee River before you enter into Maryville. Official website of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development 2022. Travelers on this route will take I-40 West Towards Knoxville and follow the interstate to Exit 27in Clyde, NC and enter into Highway 74. Gatlinburgs best feature is its natural beauty. The maximum speed along the Trace is 50 mph. The 212-mile road trip from Nashville to Memphis takes 3 hours to drive. Today, you can enjoy a scenic drive along as much, or as little of it, as you please. Land Between the Lakes is a 170,000-acre national recreation area in Western Kentucky located just off I-24, about 90 miles north of Nashville. Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. Before leaving Nashville, you should visit the Grand Ole Opry if you enjoy country music. Then either follow Laurel Creek Road to Cades Cove or drive the scenic Newfound Gap Road with a stop at Clingmans Dome. Take exit 290 (Cookeville). An hour's drive southeast from Knoxville on U.S. Route 441 takes you to Gatlinburg, a small town at the threshold of the immensely popular -- and admission free -- Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Take a picturesque drive through the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a spin around Cades Cove Loop. We suggest exploring a few of the scenic byways, for very little added time to your journey. Hit the open road in your new Toyota and get some fresh air with one of these four scenic drives in the Knoxville area. Turn right and drive along the French Broad River to Marshall. Take in some history at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, and then relax by the water at Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort. Traveling the Trace is an excellent way to step back in time to an era of the scenic road trip where you take the time to enjoy the trip itself. For the next 50 years European influence expanded in the area between the lower Mississippi valley in Natchez and the Ohio River and Cumberland River valleys in the north. Make your way through South Cumberland State Park for a view of Grundy State Forest, a facet of Tennessee protected land that hides not one, not two, but FIVE waterfalls in its heart. Bring your fishing poles or a boat, and enjoy some of Tennessees most scenic lakes. The space is has a great vibe and best of all, served some truly authentic southern cuisine sourced from local farms in the area. Climb the spiral staircase to the top of the lookout tower at the park visitor center. Where is some beautiful scenery in Tennessee? If youre looking for things to do in Maryville, Townsend, or anywhere in Blount County, be sure to visit the Blount County Chamber of Commerces website for cool ideas and tips. Once you cross the bridge that transverses the Oconaluftee River, youll take your first right to enter Highway 441 / Tsali Blvd. Experience where country music stars and fans align. The more your referral link gets used, the more money youll start earning. Benefits: Skip Knoxville traffic, drive through historic towns, enjoy beautiful mountain scenery, Google Maps link:https://goo.gl/maps/957KV9nnXM12. This mountain pass flirts with both states and will have your camera and selfie game working overtime. With no practical way to navigate their craft back up the Mississippi River, the float boats that carried the cargo were disassembled and the lumber sold. 25 E Through Morristown to Pigeon Forge Time: 5 hours, 21 minutes Learn more about Construction (lettings, bidding, contracts)? Learn about the mysterious city of Oak Ridge, the Appalachian crafts around every corner, and the areas long history of coal mining. The scenery surrounding the two-lane route includes mountain peaks and rock bluffs, as well as access to sites that explore Civil War history and Cherokee Indian culture. By 1900, due to improvements in river travel and the competition from more recent roadways, the Trace had reverted to a wilderness state along much of its original course. and leave at 7:01 pm. Conveniently situated within just a two-hour drive from Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville and Birmingham, Chattanooga, offers the opportunity to live and learn in an exciting and enchanting environment. - When I Google map directions from Knoxville (TYS) to Gatlinburg, it suggests the route 129 south to TN-71, east to 441 south. Are you a Snowbird having trouble finding an RV site along the Gulf Coast? When you buy one of these experiences, you can feel good about the fact that you are helping Belle Meade fulfill its educational mission. Building the onramps for "sustainable mobility" at CO.LAB. Have you traveled anywhere on our list? Sometimes when the week gets rough, all you want to do is just in the car with a fabulous playlist of tunes and a long open road in front of you. Love Tennessee? From there, head north and let the adventure begin. CMP, Cross the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on this 31 mile byway that includes numerous pull-offs, stopping point, and scenic opportunities. We found eleven places around the state of Tennessee yes, even on the west side that are great for driving during the twilight hour, in the afternoon, or even during those light, bright early mornings. . My name is Hunter Lawrence and my wife Sarah and I own a photography and marketing businesses out of Austin, Texas. There are other options including I-40 to 441. Like most of the roads on this list, it's astonishingly beautiful all year, but there's just something about the summer and autumn months that are particularly special. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is renowned for its beautiful and diverse scenery. Benefits:Beautiful rural views, drive through historic Cherokee, NC, creeks that run alongside the road, final stretch through the national park, Google Maps Link:https://goo.gl/maps/6i91mAUsnqF2. 2. They were paving the track for an upcoming race so we werent able to take a car around the track, but we enjoyed hiking up the hundreds of steps to the top of the arena and checking out the views. Benefits: Drive through a national forest and a national park on your way to Pigeon Forge, visit several small historic towns, experience the cultural center that is Cherokee, NC, Google Maps Link:https://goo.gl/maps/ZJHCFWCSjJ62. From there we walked north and enjoyed amazing coffee at Remedy Coffee. The driving tour starts on Chapman Highway at Fort Dickerson, a site of conflict between the Union and Confederate armies. Rock Island State Park, with its amazing waterways and gorges, is a cant-miss destination on your road trip from Nashville to Knoxville. Time spent outdoors in this pretty state is endlessly rewarding. Memphis, TN 450 miles/ 6h 30m from Dallas The hotel staff was by far one of the friendliest staff weve ever interacted with. The Woodlands Trace also has hiking, camping, boating and wildlife encounter opportunities along the way. Michael.McClanahan@tn.gov There are all sorts of country roads crisscrossing The Volunteer State. After travelling on Highway 23 North for 29 miles, youll come to the point where Highway 441 feeds into Highway 23; keep left to continue travelling north through Chattahoochee National Forest. Hours Of Operation: Tuesday to Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM, Sundays 1-5 PM. Thank you! We dont blame you one bit! These voices - and more - on this edition of "Scenic Roots.". One of the most popular scenic drives in the United States, the Blue Ridge Parkway travels along the southern Appalachian Mountains, connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Taking this route means youll be able to bypass Knoxville traffic while experiencing historical towns like Townsend and Wears Valley. Nashville, TN 37203 Click Here for Directions to the Parthenon from Memphis taking the direct I-40 route. The routes are split into four categories, depending on which direction youre coming from. Benefits: A beautiful drive down historic Highway 25 E, cool towns along the way such as Morristown, lake and reservoir views, Google Maps link:https://goo.gl/maps/kPV5rbtvnrx. You can hike among beautiful wildflowers and powerful waterfalls at the Roaring Fork Motor Trail, climb to the top of Chimney Tops, or pay respects to early pioneers at Cades Cove. This 200 mile route provides access to the mountains across seven counties. Take Highway 31 from Nashville to go through Franklin (a great town) and get to Lewisburg. No thanks, Im not into adventure Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Check out these perfect pet-friendly parks which make some of the best places to walk, exercise, and have fun with your pup in Tennessee. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Tennessee, you were amazing we cant wait to return! The 1.2-mile Clingman's Dome Trail begins at the edge of the parking lot and ascends 300' in about half a mile to the observation tower on the summit. Phone +1 800-525-7077. Address. The top stops along the way from Knoxville to Asheville (with short detours) are Sugarlands Distilling Company, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, and Smoky Mountain Outdoors (SMO) Rafting.
