By state
National parks in Tennessee
Every national park and public-land unit in Tennessee, scored and ranked by our Experience Score.
Tennessee's national park sites are varied, making the state a rewarding destination to plan a trip around. They stretch across the state. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in the east, facing the Blue Ridge Mountains. Cumberland Gap National Park is at the northeastern tip. In the far west is Shiloh National Park, a Civil War battlefield. The Natchez Trace Parkway runs south through the middle of the state. Two main themes emerge: significant American conflicts and distinctive American landscapes. The most effective travel plans combine both. For those interested in battlefield history alongside outdoor activities, Stones River National Battlefield and Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Park are good choices. If you prefer to experience history on foot, consider the Appalachian Trail or the Overmountain Victory National Trail. Great Smoky Mountains National Park attracts many visitors. Tennessee as a whole appeals to travelers who prioritize in-depth experiences over easy access and are prepared to drive to reach them.
97DOES IT ALL
NPS Photo
Parkway · AL
Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile federally managed scenic corridor across Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.
95DOES IT ALL
Photo Credit: ATC/Benjamin Hays
National Scenic Trail · CT
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail, a monumental 2,190-mile footpath, traverses 14 states from Georgia's Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin in Maine.
88DOES IT ALL
NPS Photo/Mekow
National Military Park · TN
Shiloh National Military Park
Shiloh National Military Park preserves the ground where nearly 110,000 troops fought in April 1862, producing more casualties than all previous American wars combined.
88DOES IT ALL
NPS Photo / Buddy Secor
National Battlefield · TN
Stones River National Battlefield
Stones River National Battlefield sits just outside Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and preserves the ground where one of the Civil War's most brutal winter engagements unfolded over New Year's 1862-1863.
84WIDE RANGE
Kristina Plaas
National Park · NC
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park earns its standing as the most visited national park in the United States.
80WIDE RANGE
NPS
National Historic Trail · NC
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, a 330-mile corridor, traces the 1780 Patriot militia march through Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
78WIDE RANGE
NPS Photo
National Historical Park · KY
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park offers a substantial experience, exceeding typical historical park offerings.
77WIDE RANGE
NPS Photo
National Military Park · GA
Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park stands as a significant historical preserve.
76WIDE RANGE
NPS Photo
Wild & Scenic River · TN
Obed Wild & Scenic River
Obed Wild and Scenic River offers a rugged, unmanicured experience within Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau.
59GOOD RANGE
NPS
National Historic Trail · AL
Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail spans over 5,000 miles across nine states, marking the 1838-1839 forced removal of the Cherokee Nation.
54FOCUSED
NPS
National Battlefield · KY
Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Fort Donelson National Battlefield commemorates a pivotal early Union victory in February 1862.
47FOCUSED
NPS Photo
National Historic Site · TN
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greeneville, Tennessee, offers a concentrated historical experience.
Behind the Tennessee ranking
We sort by the Experience Score, a like-for-like measure of what a unit offers on paper and how reachable it is, pulled from public data and capped so one factor never runs the table. Beauty and crowds are deliberately out of it. That is the lens on all 12 Tennessee entries here.
What the ranking cannot tell you: whether the views floor you, how packed a lot gets in July, trail conditions after rain, or how good a ranger walk is. A small, focused site can rank below a sprawling park and still be your better trip. Read the score for what is on offer, then open a unit for the verdict on who it actually suits.