Where Was Smokey and the Bandit Filmed? Every Georgia Spot

Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Hal Needham’s car-chase comedy starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason, was filmed almost entirely in Georgia. Most of the work happened south of Atlanta, in Jonesboro, McDonough and at the Lakewood Fairgrounds. More scenes came from north Georgia near Helen. That’s true even of scenes the story places in Texas, Arkansas and other Southern states.

In the story, the Bandit and Snowman haul a truckload of beer from Texarkana back to Atlanta. On film, Georgia towns stood in for nearly the whole route. The movie says the famous bridge jump happens in Arkansas, but it was actually shot in Jonesboro, Georgia. Principal photography began on August 30, 1976.

Smokey and the Bandit filming locations at a glance

Smokey and the Bandit was shot in metro Atlanta’s southern suburbs and in the north Georgia mountains. Here are the confirmed spots and the scenes shot at each one.

Location	Where it is	What was filmed there
Lakewood Fairgrounds	South Atlanta	The opening truck “roadeo,” where Big and Little Enos offer the Bandit the bet, plus the race at the end
Main Street, Jonesboro	Clayton County, south of Atlanta	The Texarkana scenes, including loading the beer
Flint River Road, Jonesboro	Near the Flint River bridge	The Trans Am jumping the broken “Mulberry” bridge
Highway 54, Fayetteville to Jonesboro	Between Fayetteville and Jonesboro	Chase scenes
McDonough Square	Downtown McDonough, Henry County	The Bandit hiding his car from the first trooper early in the chase
Macon Street, McDonough	Near Macon Street and Highway 81	Snowman’s gas stop
Old Hickory House	Forest Park, near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport	A restaurant scene
Georgia State Route 75	About 3 miles north of Helen	The scene where the sheriff’s car door gets knocked off
Unicoi State Park	Helen, north Georgia	The Bandit and Carrie’s quiet moment by the water

Smaller pieces of the film were also shot in Atlanta itself and in Cumming, Georgia.

Where the Lakewood Fairgrounds scenes were filmed

The Lakewood Fairgrounds in south Atlanta is where Smokey and the Bandit opens and closes. The former fairgrounds site, just south of Atlanta, was the setting for many shots, including the truck roadeo at the start of the film and the race at the end. In the story, Big Enos and Little Enos find local legend Bo “Bandit” Darville at a truck rodeo at Lakewood Fairgrounds and offer him $80,000 to take the bet.

The fairgrounds came back for the sequel. The roller coaster demolition in Smokey 2 was also filmed there.

Where the Texarkana and Arkansas scenes were filmed: Jonesboro, Georgia

Jonesboro, Georgia, played both Texarkana and rural Arkansas. That makes it the busiest filming town in the movie. The downtown blocks of North Main Street stood in for Texarkana, and several gags were shot along that stretch.

• The bridge jump. The Trans Am’s leap over the dismantled bridge was shot on Flint River Road in Jonesboro. Only remnants of the old wooden bridge remain today.
• Highway 54. Chase scenes were filmed on Highway 54 between Fayetteville and Jonesboro.

What was filmed in McDonough Square

McDonough Square, the courthouse square in downtown McDonough, is where the Bandit hides his Trans Am from the first trooper early in the chase. Two of the movie’s best-known scenes were shot in and around the square. The spot where the Bandit hides behind a small brick building is at Macon Street and Highway 81.

Snowman’s gas stop was filmed a short distance away. That spot is on Macon Street in McDonough. The square is close to Jonesboro, so most people visit both towns on the same day.

The north Georgia scenes near Helen

The mountain scenes in Smokey and the Bandit were shot around Helen, the Alpine-style town in White County. The scene where the sheriff’s car door gets knocked off was filmed on Georgia State Route 75, about 3 miles north of Helen. The romantic break between the Bandit and Carrie (Sally Field) was filmed nearby at Unicoi State Park. The bridge from that scene is gone.

Can you visit the Smokey and the Bandit locations today?

Yes. Many Smokey and the Bandit locations are on public streets, and you can drive them as a loop. Keep in mind that nearly 50 years of change have altered many of them. Here’s how to plan a trip:

1. Start at Lakewood in south Atlanta. The old fairgrounds are where the movie begins and ends.
2. Head south to Forest Park and Jonesboro. Walk North Main Street for the Texarkana scenes, then drive Highway 54 and Flint River Road for the chase scenes and the bridge jump.
3. Continue east to McDonough. Park at the square, then walk or drive to Macon Street for the hiding spot and the old gas station.
4. Finish in the mountains near Helen. Drive State Route 75 north of town and stop at Unicoi State Park.

A few things to know before you go: some buildings have been torn down, the jump bridge is mostly gone, and several sites are now private businesses. Please respect property lines. The fastest way to line up a spot is to pause the movie on a wide shot and compare the buildings and road angles with a street-view map.

Where was Smokey and the Bandit II filmed?

Smokey and the Bandit II, released in August 1980, went back to at least one of the original’s Georgia locations: its roller coaster demolition was staged at the Lakewood Fairgrounds in Atlanta. The franchise ended its original run with Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 in 1983, directed by Dick Lowry.

The story isn’t finished. A Smokey and the Bandit prequel TV series began production in Sedalia, Missouri, in June 2026. The 1977 film’s history is covered in The Bandit (2016), a documentary about the making of the movie and working with director and stuntman Hal Needham.

FAQ

– Was Smokey and the Bandit filmed in Texas or Arkansas?

No. Smokey and the Bandit was filmed in Georgia, even in scenes set in Texas and Arkansas. Downtown Jonesboro played Texarkana, and the “Arkansas” bridge jump was also shot in the Jonesboro area.

– Why wasn’t Sally Field in Smokey and the Bandit 3?

Sally Field’s character, Carrie, doesn’t appear in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983), which moved the story away from the original pair. Jerry Reed took over as the Bandit in Part 3, and Burt Reynolds only appeared in a cameo near the end.

– How many cast members are still alive from Smokey and the Bandit?

Of the four leads in Smokey and the Bandit, Sally Field is the only one still living. Jackie Gleason died in 1987, Jerry Reed in 2008 and Burt Reynolds in 2018.

– What car did the Bandit drive?

The Bandit drives a black 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, nicknamed Trigger, as a “blocker” that pulls police attention away from the truck and its illegal cargo. Snowman drives the truck with his basset hound, Fred, riding along.

– Is there a Smokey and the Bandit route map?

Yes. You can build a Smokey and the Bandit route map yourself by pinning the locations in the table above, in this order: Lakewood Fairgrounds, Forest Park, Jonesboro, McDonough and then Helen. The first four are all close together south of Atlanta, and Helen is a longer drive north into the mountains.

The header image is an AI-generated illustration, not an actual photo or film still.