State Route 181 (abbreviated SR 181) is a primary state highway running through Lake, Dyer, and Lauderdale counties in

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

. This highway traverses very sparsely populated areas and is located entirely within the flood plains of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

Obion River The Obion River system is the primary surface water Surface water is water located on top of land forming terrestrial (inland) waterbodies, and may also be referred to as ''blue water'', opposed to the seawater and waterbodies like the ocean ...

and

Forked Deer River The Forked Deer River system is the main drainage of the central portion of West Tennessee. Locals pronounce the first word of the river's name with two syllables, as in “Forkéd” (). The Forked Deer consists of various streams designated ...

. SR 181 is constructed as a modern two-lane facility with paved shoulders and a speed limit throughout its length. Prior to its designation as a state highway (and subsequent raising of the levee), it was a narrow gravel road. It is constructed atop the "Big Levee" in Dyer County and is used as a primary defense against floodwaters from the Mississippi River itself, however, floodwaters from the Obion River often back up on the eastern side of the levee. This highway doesn't pass through any municipalities or unincorporated communities. The area is a popular destination for fishermen and hunters.

Route description

The entire length of SR 181 is signed as the

Great River Road The Great River Road is a collection of state and local roads that follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States. They are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Miss ...

and also carries a Tennessee Scenic Parkway designation. This state route carries both a primary and secondary designation.

Major intersections

References

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