Obed Wild and Scenic River

Wild and Scenic is a good thing.
The Obed is not a multi-​day family destination park. There is a family friendly campground and trails/​overlooks that are very accommodating to families, however, this park is really best for three things: Climbing, whitewater and Trekking.
The main trails are located on each side of the river and do not connect. The Cumberland Trail (
) is located on the south/​east side of the river and just through the park is more than 14 miles. It also connects to the Cumberland Trail State Park. So assuming there is not a lot of trails here would be inaccurate. The boundaries and river landmark make this a great park for trekking especially on the west and north end of the park for those who want to try their off trail skills.
The whitewater at the Obed and Clear Creek is first class. However, you should be at least a somewhat experienced boater before taking it on. A family taking off down the river on tubes or a plain canoe would be a terrible idea. There is also several places to camp on the river so you can camp and take off early in a kayak the next day.
This park has been popular with climbers for many years and when out exploring you are sure to run across them. When here you will see many out of state car tags filled with people seeking out the local climbing. The Boulder Field on the west side of the park is a good place to meet some of these climbers as they warm up or practice in a safe setting.
One of the best things about this park is that it is rarely crowded. Everyone should explore the Obed at least once. It is worth the drive. This is a park for those who prefer their National Parks and Scenic Rivers to be a little more on the undeveloped and natural side.

So one day a friend of mine decides to go rock climbing, rounds up a gaggle of gym buddies and takes off deep into the Tennessee Wilderness to the Obed River, evidently well known in climbing circles. Curious (stupid) another friend and I followed suit, putting up with hours of mindless high school chatter to end up at the Obed. It was as advertised: a wild and scenic river. Nothing more, nothing less. It was a beautiful spot, but it wasn’t particularly impressive, especially not after three bumping hours with people who couldn’t stop yapping.
While part of the National Park Service, this is a very undeveloped park, which made for some interesting experiences. The trails were terribly marked, but the climbers evidently knew what they were doing, clambering down narrow paths that threatened to collapse into the river below (and held up by cable wire), all the while being chased by a friendly neighborhood dog Tipsy. Eventually the climbers reached their spots and began climbing, Tipsy had a ferocious encounter with a confused black snake, and my other friend and I continued hiking, eventually finding a nice spot with frogs and waterfalls. In total, we found perhaps five miles worth of trails (not much at all). In conclusion, the Obed is a nice enough place, but frankly its too small, undeveloped and far from anything to be worth much of a trip, which perhaps suits this park just fine. Rock climbers and kayakers, who are a little crazy anyways, will probably enjoy it immensely.