In most states some portion of beaches are public land and all members of the public have a right to use that portion of the beach. The ability to walk along the beach is known as lateral beach access.

But the land between where people can park or walk to the beach and where they can enjoy the beach is often private property, making it difficult to provide access to the public while protecting personal property rights. The ability to reach the beach is known as vertical beach access.

Laws regarding public access to beaches vary from state to state but many states recognize the public trust doctrine, a legal doctrine that certain natural resources such as beaches are owned or held by the government in trust for the public’s use and enjoyment and that the government has an obligation to protect and maintain these resources for the public.

In Tennessee, the regulation of public access to beaches is influenced by the state's geography, as it is a landlocked state with no oceanfront beaches. However, Tennessee does have many miles of riverfront and lakefront land, and the principles of public access can still apply to these areas. The state generally adheres to the public trust doctrine, which holds that certain natural resources, including waterfronts, are preserved for public use and enjoyment. While Tennessee law does not specifically address 'lateral' and 'vertical' beach access as these terms are typically used in coastal states, the state does provide for public use of navigable waters and the adjacent shorelines up to the average high-water mark. Access to these areas may be provided through public parks, boat ramps, and other public facilities. Private property rights are also respected, and landowners can restrict access to their property, which may limit the ability to reach public waters in some cases. It is important for individuals to respect private property while enjoying public access to Tennessee's waterways.