Welcome to the Sequatchie River Blueway
The Sequatchie River winds 116 miles through the Sequatchie Valley before emptying into the Tennessee River near Jasper, Tenn. Throughout time, the river has played a major role in the cultural and natural history of the Sequatchie Valley. Today, this waterway offers “gentle thrills” for paddlers, and the chance to enjoy the Sequatchie Valley’s landscape by water.
The Sequatchie River’s source is a large spring that flows out of the ground, called the Head of the Sequatchie, located at Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park, just north of Pikeville, Tenn. The source of water at the spring is thought to be Grassy Cove, a limestone sinkhole located to the northeast. Also located at the Head of the Sequatchie is Devilstep Hollow Cave, which preserves nationally significant cave art. It is the only cave in the southeastern United States that contains mud glyphs, petroglyphs and pictographs.
Daniel Smith, who explored the Sequatchie Valley in 1792, made a map on which the Sequatchie River appears as “Crow Creek.” “Crow Creek” appears in some of the old deeds in the Sequatchie Valley, as well.
According to Sequatchie: A History of the Southern Cumberlands
An ancient trail known as the Sequatchie Trail followed the Sequatchie River to its confluence with the Tennessee River. The trail is said to have split off from the historic Black Fox Trail which traveled over Dayton Mountain from Dayton, Tenn., to intersect with the Sequatchie Trail, about 5 miles south of present-day Pikeville.
River Access and Safety
Communities within the Sequatchie Valley are excited about offering public paddling opportunities on the Sequatchie River; however, they are also concerned with keeping people off private lands. Rich farmland borders much of the river, with livestock and crops, and private landowners do not want paddlers trespassing on their agricultural property.
In 2018, communities within the Sequatchie Valley began work to improve public access on the Sequatchie River and designate the river as a blueway” – a water-based recreation route utilized by kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs). The goal is to improve public access along the 116 river miles for both residents and visitors, and to prevent paddlers from trespassing on private lands.
Sequatchie River Blueway public access sites added in recent years:
- Upper East Valley Road near downtown Pikeville, TN
- Hwy. 30 boat ramp near Pikeville, TN
- 751 Old York Hwy., Dunlap, TN
- 1450 Hudlow Rd., Dunlap, TN
Drinking Water
The Sequatchie River is an important water resource within the Sequatchie Valley, providing drinking water to the following communities:
- Dunlap (Sequatchie Co.)
- Whitwell (Marion Co.)
- Jasper (Marion Co.) utilizes the Sequatchie River as well as a natural spring