The scenic byway traverses along 19 miles (31 km) of US 64/US 74, as it routes along the north banks of the Ocoee River.

Various boating/fishing activities can be done at Parksville Lake; while canoeing, rafting and kayaking can be done at the Ocoee Whitewater Center, venue of the 1996 Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Competition when the Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta.

The Ocoee Scenic Byway was the first National Forest Scenic Byway in the nation, designated on July 22, 1988, by the United States Forest Service.

The worst rockslide in the route's history occurred on November 10, 2009, near Ocoee Dam No.

[4] Due to the increasing rate of commercial traffic, the Tennessee Department of Transportation plans to replace the route with a four-lane highway.