Obed Wild and Scenic River
Obed River is a stream draining a part of the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, the United States. The site is 4 mi southwest of Wartburg. Visits in 2025 reached 260K.
A national park site, 4 mi southwest of Wartburg
June is the busiest month
June averages about 29,069 visitors, 2.2 times February. When to go ↓
Harriman is the nearest base
Harriman is 11 miles southeast, with 8 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best month: Sep
September is mild and quieter than average, with a high of 80°. When to go ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
How the year runs
The months below show crowds and weather at Obed Wild and Scenic River.
Obed Wild and Scenic River
Obed River is a stream draining a part of the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, the United States. It, and particularly its tributaries, are important streams for whitewater enthusiasts.
The Obed River rises in Cumberland County, Tennessee, just south of Crossville. It is bridged by U.S. Highway 70 between downtown Crossville and the municipal airport, and meets its confluence with the Little Obed River near a bridge on U.S. Highway 70N and an abandoned railroad bridge which was formerly part of the rail system linking Nashville and Knoxville. Shortly thereafter, it is bridged by U.S. Highway 127 and Interstate 40. Except during periods of very high flow, the stream is scarcely visible from these bridges because of the depth of its gorge.
- Type
- National park site
- Wikipedia readers
- 1.1K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/obri
Staying near Obed Wild and Scenic River
The nearest towns with places to stay are Wartburg (4) and Harriman (8), and Knoxville has the most rooms in the area (134).
Wartburg
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
957 people
4 mi northeast of Obed Wild and Scenic River · 4 mi to the park
Knoxville
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
202,021 people
40 mi east of Obed Wild and Scenic River · 40 mi to the park
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From Obed Wild and Scenic River | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wartburg | 4 mi northeast | 5 min | 4 1 motel · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 957 | $192K | — |
| Harriman | 11 mi southeast | 15 min | 8 6 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins | 6,192 | $153K | D |
| Oak Ridge | 21 mi east | 30 min | 15 13 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 35,395 | $270K | C |
| Oliver Springs | 18 mi east | 25 min | 8 1 hotel · 1 lodge or cabins · 6 campgrounds | 3,433 | $181K | C+ |
| Kingston | 16 mi southeast | 25 min | 6 2 hotels · 2 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 6,299 | $220K | A− |
| Crossville | 23 mi west | 35 min | 14 10 hotels · 2 motels · 2 RV parks | 13,113 | $246K | D |
| Fairfield Glade | 13 mi west | 20 min | 3 2 hotels · 1 RV park | 9,487 | $357K | — |
| Rockwood | 14 mi south | 20 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 motel · 1 RV park | 5,607 | $129K | D |
| Knoxville | 40 mi east | 1 hr | 134 114 hotels · 8 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds | 202,021 | $240K | D |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Make a day of it near Obed Wild and Scenic River
Each of these is within 66 miles.
Big draw65 mi Theme parkDollywood3.4M visitors a year
Big draw41 mi Stadium & arenaNeyland Stadium
19 mi State parkFrozen Head State Park
41 mi LookoutSunsphere
63 mi MuseumAlcatraz East
39 mi CaveCraighead Caverns
217 mi National Historical ParkManhattan Project National Historical Park56K visitors a year
60 mi LakeLake CumberlandPhoto credits
Dollywood: Brian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 2.5 · Neyland Stadium: Neomrbungle, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Frozen Head State Park: Brian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 3.0 · Sunsphere: Ɱ, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Alcatraz East: EricaLewHouse, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Craighead Caverns: Brenda, CC BY 2.0 · Manhattan Project National Historical Park: Unknown, Public domain · Lake Cumberland: Censusdata at English Wikipedia, Public domain
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259,989 visitors in 2025
Visits each year from 2016 to 2025.
Visiting Obed Wild and Scenic River
What town is Obed Wild and Scenic River near?
Wartburg, TN, about 4 miles northeast.
When is the best time to visit Obed Wild and Scenic River?
September, with a high of 80°. June is the busiest month (about 29,069 visitors).
How many people visit Obed Wild and Scenic River each year?
259,989 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 306,502, set in 2022.
What is the closest airport to Obed Wild and Scenic River?
McGhee Tyson (TYS), about 41 miles away.
Where should I stay near Obed Wild and Scenic River?
Wartburg (4 mi, 4 places to stay), Harriman (11 mi, 8 places to stay) and Knoxville (40 mi, 134 places to stay).
Inside knowledge from Wartburg
No one has shared advice yet; Wartburg’s Town Square takes questions.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.