BluewaysTN

Summary
Tennessee is blessed with one of the most remarkable and abundant systems of waterways in the country. With 29 major reservoir lakes, over 61,000 miles of rivers and streams, and countless small lakes and ponds – waterways are a cornerstone of Tennessee’s outdoor heritage. The term “blueway” typically refers to a water-trail or water-based recreational corridor, often designated for activities such as kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, and other water-related activities.
Governor Bill Lee's Vision for Our Waterways
Governor Bill Lee provided a glimpse of his vision for Tennessee’s outdoor heritage and its waterways in his 2024 State-of-the-State address:
Tennessee’s outdoor heritage also extends to our rivers, lakes, and streams. We are proposing a “blueway trail development” to improve access to state waterways and invest in dozens of state lakes, boosting rural economies, welcoming more Tennesseans and visitors to kayak, canoe, and fish our beautiful waters. We are also proposing investments to improve water quality across rivers and streams, making them safe to enjoy.
The BluewaysTN initiative will capitalize on the momentum around recreation waterways. The primary purpose of this initiative is to strategically conserve, develop, and support recreational waterways across the State of Tennessee. This initiative will ensure sustainable recreational use, better sharing among a variety of users, promote rural tourism, support economic development, and pursue exemplary water quality. Conservation and water quality will be just as important as the recreational opportunities that these blueways afford.
This initiative will focus on specific rivers in each grand division. While each Tennessee blueway will provide a unique experience, they will all have similar features to ensure users know what to expect before they arrive at a Tennessee blueway.
The BluewaysTN initiative will help to ensure that Tennessee’s extraordinary recreational waterways are preserved, protected, and shared with Tennesseans, our grandchildren, and their grandchildren for generations to come.
The planning efforts for the Tennessee Blueways initiative are centered on enhancing the state’s network of recreation waterways, promoting conservation, and fostering sustainable recreational opportunities through collaboration among state, local, and private stakeholders. This includes a statewide comprehensive strategic plan, along with development of individual river recreation plans for those rivers identified for state investments.
A well-designed blueway system integrates wayfinding, signage, accessibility, access- points, and infrastructure to create an inviting, quality, and user-friendly experience. Much of the state investments under the BluewaysTN program will be focused on these types of improvements to recreation waterways.

Branding, wayfinding, signage, and marketing for BluewaysTN is crucial to sharing and promoting the unique recreation waterways of our state. This branding effort seeks to combine the state’s vibrant outdoor culture and scenic waterways to craft a unique identity that invites adventure seekers and nature lovers to explore our beautiful rivers.

The Office of Outdoor Recreation, BluewaysTN initiative offered three public input sessions in 2024. These sessions provided the opportunity to ensure the future master plan reflects the needs and desires of local communities, NGOs and recreational users. We are committed to keeping you informed as this plan is developed.
We are excited to invite you to participate in virtual public input sessions for the draft review of the BluewaysTN Strategic Master plan! This is an opportunity for you to share your input and insights as we discuss future recreational opportunities on Tennessee's uniquely beautiful waterways. Three sessions are being hosted for West, Middle, and East Tennessee. Select the hyperlink for each region in the table below for more information.