Tennessee
Newfound Gap
Tennessee’s Scenic Byways
The Tennessee Scenic Byways Program is administered by the Tennessee Department of Transportation. All state byways are administered by committees of local leaders and volunteers that plan promotional events and activities for their communities. The byways provide alternatives to other travel routes, with unique historic, scenic, and natural qualities, and offer visitors an enjoyable journey where they can experience the natural beauty of Tennessee.
Key Points
- Tennessee is home to nine national scenic byways and four state or federal agency scenic byways.
- Tennessee saw 119 million domestic visitors in 2018 and attracted a record $22 billion in domestic and international traveler spending,
- The tourism industry generated over $50 million in state and local tax revenue saving the average Tennessee household $712 annually and supporting 189,757 jobs.
- The Great River Road has been described as America’s great drive, traversing the Mississippi River through 10 states from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.
Tennessee Byways
Map Key:
- All-American Roads
- National Scenic Byways
- State Scenic Byways
- Federal Agency Byways
All-American Roads
Federal Agency Byways
Byways Provide Access to Public Lands
Tennessee byways provide access to the state’s most spectacular public lands, including 13 national parks, 56 state parks, 31 national historic landmarks, 15 state forests, and 2.4 million acres of public lands.
About the National Scenic Byways Program
The National Scenic Byways Program, established by Congress in 1991, recognizes historic, scenic, and culturally important roads, all of which promote economic development and tourism in communities around the U.S. There are more than 1,200 byways in all 50 states.
All scenic byways exhibit one or more of six core intrinsic qualities — scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archaeological, or natural. For a road to be named a national scenic byway, it must first be designated a state, tribal, or federal agency scenic byway. Once achieving that, a road may apply for national scenic byway designation, but its intrinsic quality must be of regional significance. All-American Roads are the very best of the national scenic byways, demonstrating at least two intrinsic qualities of national significance.
