The Buffalo River

The Buffalo winds 125 miles through Middle Tennessee without a single dam — the longest unimpounded river entirely within the state. That means real river character the whole way down: gravel bars for lunch stops, mossy bluffs, deep green holes, and easy shoals that keep a canoe moving without ever getting scary.

It's one of the South's classic float streams. Most of the water is gentle Class I, friendly to first-timers and kids, with enough riffles to keep it interesting. Paddle a lazy afternoon loop or link a full day of river miles — the scenery doesn't quit.

Anglers know the Buffalo for its smallmouth bass, plus rock bass, catfish, and panfish in the slower pools. Wade the shoals, work a bank of root wads from a kayak, or just cast from a gravel bar with the kids.

The Grove sits right in the Buffalo valley with the Blueway public access directly across the street — we're about as close to this river as a store can get.