Tennessee National Parks

Tennessee national parks depict this country's history of its two major wars for liberty and freedom as well as the lives of former presidents. Its natural resources offer scenic trails and rivers, rolling mountains and diverse plant and animal life.

Visit These Tennessee National Parks:

Andrew Johnson National Historic Site: The Andrew Johnson National Historic Site honors the life of the 17th President. Andrew Johnson's presidency, 1865-1869, illustrates the United States Constitution at work following President Lincoln's assassination and during attempts to reunify a nation torn by civil war. His presidency shaped the future of the United States and his influences continue today.

Andrew Johnson Weather

Appalachian National Scenic Trail: The People's Path, and America's First National Scenic Trail   "The body of the Trail is provided by the lands it traverses, and its soul is in the living stewardship of the volunteers and workers of the Appalachian Trail community."

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area: Encompassing 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features and has been developed to provide visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.

Fort Donelson National Battlefield: Come explore the Battle of Fort Donelson where General Grant earned his nickname Unconditional Surrender.

Fort Donnelson Weather

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park.

Natchez Trace Parkway: The 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway commemorates an ancient trail that connected southern portions of the Mississippi River, through Alabama, to salt licks in today's central Tennessee. Today, visitors can experience this National Scenic Byway and All-American Road through driving, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping.

Natchez Trace Weather     Natchez Trace Ratings

Obed Wild & Scenic River: The Obed Wild and Scenic River looks much the same today as it did when the first white settlers strolled its banks in the late 1700s. While meagerly populated due to poor farming soil, the river was a hospitable fishing and hunting area for trappers and pioneers. Today, the Obed stretches along the Cumberland Plateau and offers visitors a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Obed Weather

Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail: The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail travels through VA, TN, NC & SC, retracing the route of patriot militia as they tracked down the British. Eventually the two forces clashed, ending in patriot victory at the battle of Kings Mountain. The trail is still under development through partnerships, but the public has many places to visit and walk today.

Shiloh National Military Park: "No soldier who took part in the two day's engagement at Shiloh ever spoiled for a fight again," recalled one Union veteran. “We wanted a square, stand-up fight [and] got all we wanted of it.” Besides preserving the site of the bloody April 1862 battle in Tennessee, the park commemorates the subsequent siege, battle, and occupation of the key railroad junction at nearby Corinth, Mississippi.

Shiloh Weather

Stones River National Battlefield: The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and was one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it changed forever the people who lived and fought here.

Stones River Weather

Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area: The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area tells the whole story of the Civil War, emancipation, and Reconstruction. Its focus includes national battlefields as well as historic houses, museums, cemeteries, churches, towns, and neighborhoods significantly associated with the state's diverse Civil War heritage.

Tennessee Civil War Weather

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail: Come on a journey to remember and commemorate the survival of the Cherokee people despite their forced removal from their homelands in the Southeastern United States in the 1840s.

Trail of Tears Ratings