A view of the Mississippi River in Tipton County.

This is a case-by-case issue. The path winds along the Tennessee River, through woods, and past a swamp, once you get out of downtown. The Tennessee River watershed encompasses the Tennessee River and its tributaries, including the two headwater tributaries: the Holston River and French Broad River. The length of the main stream is 652 miles, and the total drainage area is 40,569 square miles. The Elk River rises in Grundy County, Tennessee, in Burroughs Cove near the community of Elkhead. Both the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers eventually flow north into the Ohio River, which in turn flows into the Mississippi. Stop to take the tour, visit the gift shop, or just take a drive through the park for beautiful views of the Tennessee River. Its rich fascinating history includes Cherokee Indians, early colonial pioneers, Revolutionary war heroes, and Civil War battles. Great job Chattanooga! The entire length of the Tennessee River is navigable, being maintained by the U.S. Army Corp on Engineers, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the U.S. Coast Guard. After entering Alabama it goes north and for a few miles, forms the boundary between Alabama and Mississippi. Maury County - The Duck River is the longest river located entirely within the state of Tennessee. The Tennessee River is a tributary, or a river that flows into, the Ohio River. It begins a mile above Knoxville, Tenn., and eventually joins with the Ohio River at Paducah, Ky. Commercial navigation also extends into three major tributaries: 61 miles up the Clinch River, 29 miles up the Little Tennessee River and 22 miles up the Hiwassee River. It originates in the “Barrens” on the Highland Rim and flows through seven middle Tennessee counties before reaching its confluence with the Tennessee River near New Johnsonville. Now, the Tennessee River is one of the most popular vacation spots in America. The Tennessee River begins at the confluence of the Holston and French Broad Rivers, just east of Knoxville, TN. The Mississippi River runs north to south, generally following Tennessee's western boundary. The Tennessee River’s main navigable channel is 652 miles long. However, the river is not Tennessee's western boundary, at least not any more. Today, the Tennessee RIver provides a magnificent variety of boat accessible concerts, festivals, museums, Historic Sites, Turning west through the Cumberland Plateau into northeastern Alabama, it continues across northern Alabama and bends north on the boundary between Alabama and Mississippi. The outfitters that run the river are open in general from April to late October. The Tennessee Riverwalk is a 8.7 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Hixson, Tennessee that features a river and is good for all skill levels.

It starts in eastern Tennessee before entering Alabama.