Obed Wild and Scenic River is located in East Tennessee along a stretch of the Obed River that remains similar to the way it looked hundreds of years ago. The area preserved by the national park site was undeveloped due to the hilly terrain and poor soil. The national park system, of course, has continued to keep the area unspoiled, resulting in a place that feels distant from any sort of human development.

There are a couple different places within the park where visitors can hike. Our visit was to the Lilly Bridge area. After leaving the main road, our journey into the park was one of solitude, with forests surrounding us. We parked and were one of only a few cars in the lot. We began our hike and first went to the Lilly Bluff Overlook, a beautiful vista that overlooked the Obed River as it meandered through a deep, tree-covered gorge. We then took the 3.8 mile round-trip Point Trail to another lovely overlook of the gorge in the park. The trail was peaceful. It led gently up some bluffs before running along a ridge amid a nice forest. Near the end of the hike, we were treated to a natural arch just off the trail that made for a fun place to take a break and eat a snack. Make sure to check out the arch and a couple other viewpoints near the end of the trail–they offer good views of the river and gorge.

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As a wild and scenic river, the national park site also offers plenty of boating and paddling opportunities. While we only hiked, we were able to get a closer view of the Obed River as we left the park. It was quite nice and gave a different perspective compared to the views on top of the gorge.

Obed Wild and Scenic River was secluded and offered a lovely place to get out in nature. The scenery was beautiful and relaxing, though still wild. We recommend checking out this national park site that gets few visitors, but has great views.

Side note: If a hike in the Lilly Bridge area makes you hungry and/or thirsty, Lilly Pad Hopyard Brewery is located just outside the entrance to the national park.