Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Bean Station, Tennessee

Big Clifty is a mild introduction to the forest roads in the area. This seven-mile track climbs to the Meadow View Lookout Tower and is easily traversed by a 2WD vehicle. Cell service is available at the top. There are no camping spots on this road, but there are options close by. The tower is a gre...
Learn more about Big Clifty Road

This short two-mile trail is a great quick route to visit the tower. It's relatively tame outside of a few sections with larger rocks. When paired with Big Clifty, it makes for a nice 10-mile trip. The tower is recently renovated and provides great 360 degree views of the area. A cool point of inter...
Learn more about Meadow Creek Tower Road

Hall Top climbs 1,500 feet over the five-mile route from the rhododendron shaded valley to the rocky peak above. The majority of the route is maintained, but some of the steeper sections are rocky and require a driver to slow down a bit or endure the bumpy ride. At the top, you'll find a fire tower ...
Learn more about Hall Top Road

Brush Creek starts out as a narrow paved road, but once it meets the western end of Weaver's Bend it transitions to gravel. This is a beautiful drive and the namesake creek parallels the road for the northern half of the route. As the road turns away from the creek it quickly ascends to the upper re...
Learn more about Brush Creek Road

The Hall Top Spur allows access to the Hall Top Fire Tower, Big Fill Road, and Rocky Top Road from the eastern border of this section of Cherokee National Forest. The road climbs steeply from the valley and gains 500 feet of elevation in just a few miles. The lower sections have recently been rework...
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This route provides a bit more challenge and adrenaline than the majority of the roads in Chuck Swan WMA, but still keeps it well within the capabilities of most stock and slightly modified 4x4s. Along Clear Creek Rd. there are three water crossings that vary greatly depending on recent rains. All t...
Learn more about Lost Creek & Clear Creek

Weaver Bend Road runs from its intersection with Brush Creek to the French Broad River. It transitions from gravel to dirt. Along the road, there are several marked campsites, including several riverside. At its namesake Weaver's Bend, you'll find a large campsite that accommodates six to eight truc...
Learn more about Weaver Bend

This route traverses from the southern portions of Chuck Swan WMA to one of the more remote areas on the northern border. Along this route you'll find some easy but fun roads, a natural freshwater spring, and if you time your visit right ample opportunities to pick fresh blackberries. In the summer ...
Learn more about Mossy Springs

Paint Mountain is a great way to connect Hurricane Gap to the east, with some of the other roads and trails west of this area. It's 1 to 1.5 cars wide and outside of a few rough sections, the gravel is well maintained. At the southern terminus, you'll find the Chimney Rocks trailhead and French Broa...
Learn more about Paint Mountain Road

This trail intersects with 16 Creeks trail and runs out a long stretch of high ridges with some excellent views of the surrounding area. The east side of the trail goes to several cell/radio towers that allow you to look over the town of Middlesboro and even see the tunnels at Cumberland Gap into Te...
Learn more about High Ridge Towers

This is a short out-and-back trail with multiple primitive campsites and fire rings. The campsite on the south end has room for multiple vehicles with rooftop tents and plenty of room for ground tents with three fire rings. The three campsites on the north end of the trail are large enough for two v...
Learn more about Paint Pond Trail

Hurrican Gap is a well-maintained gravel road that travels from the Houston Valley area to just outside of Hot Springs, NC. While it's not particularly challenging, there are some great side trips along the way. The Rich Mountain Lookout Tower is just a mile off of the road, and if you're looking fo...
Learn more about Hurricane Gap

River Road is an easy, well-maintained gravel route that offers a relaxing drive through the scenic countryside. The graded gravel surface is smooth and predictable, making it suitable for a wide variety of vehicles under normal conditions. The road varies from single-lane sections to wider double-l...
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Polecat Hollar is an easy, well-maintained gravel trail that offers a relaxed drive through a forested setting. The route is primarily a single-lane road with numerous pull-off areas, allowing vehicles to pass comfortably when needed. The gravel surface is consistent throughout, making for a predict...
Learn more about Polecat Hollar

Fed Fork is a very easy, graded gravel trail that provides a relaxed out-and-back drive through a quiet forest setting. The surface is well maintained with gentle grades and consistent traction, making it an excellent choice for drivers of all experience levels. The route is straightforward from beg...
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This is a windy gravel mountain road. It winds along the edge of the mountain with mild elevation changes. Beautiful drive with a couple of good spots to catch a view, although there are no official lookouts. The road is well-maintained and makes a great "Sunday drive". The view is very pretty in th...
Learn more about Green Mountain Road

Pilgrim Lane is a moderately easy trail that begins as a maintained gravel road before transitioning to dirt upon entering Cherokee National Forest. From that point forward, the trail becomes more primitive, with several mud holes that collect rainwater and can become deeper or softer following wet ...
Learn more about Pilgrim Lane

This is a gravel/dirt road uphill to a large open field with roads. The property includes open range horses and cattle, and there are lots of side trails to adventure onto. The trail can be reached off Highway 221 in Pineville, Kentucky. There's a railroad crossing as well as old gas wells on the pr...
Learn more about Mary's Wild Horse Trail

Trail 29 is a longer trail running from east and west near the far west side of the Black Mountain ORV Adventure Area. The trail ends on the west side at a private property which is gated and labeled "FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY". Along the way, this trail travels through an area known as The Stadiu...
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The majority of this trail is flat (the flattest in the park) with some shallow water/mud holes with solid bottoms. The terrain is small gravel-like rock mixed with softball-sized rocks. This drive is very picturesque, especially at the top, with a nice view from 2800 feet of elevation. You will fin...
Learn more about 36

This route provides a bit more challenge and adrenaline than the majority of the roads in Chuck Swan WMA, but still keeps it well within the capabilities of most stock and slightly modified 4x4s. Along Clear Creek Rd. there are three water crossings that vary greatly depending on recent rains. All t...
Learn more about Lost Creek & Clear Creek

This route traverses from the southern portions of Chuck Swan WMA to one of the more remote areas on the northern border. Along this route you'll find some easy but fun roads, a natural freshwater spring, and if you time your visit right ample opportunities to pick fresh blackberries. In the summer ...
Learn more about Mossy Springs

This trail intersects with 16 Creeks trail and runs out a long stretch of high ridges with some excellent views of the surrounding area. The east side of the trail goes to several cell/radio towers that allow you to look over the town of Middlesboro and even see the tunnels at Cumberland Gap into Te...
Learn more about High Ridge Towers

This is a short out-and-back trail with multiple primitive campsites and fire rings. The campsite on the south end has room for multiple vehicles with rooftop tents and plenty of room for ground tents with three fire rings. The three campsites on the north end of the trail are large enough for two v...
Learn more about Paint Pond Trail

This trail intersects with 16 Creeks trail and runs out a long stretch of high ridges with some excellent views of the surrounding area. The east side of the trail goes to several cell/radio towers that allow you to look over the town of Middlesboro and even see the tunnels at Cumberland Gap into Te...
Learn more about High Ridge Towers

This is a short out-and-back trail with multiple primitive campsites and fire rings. The campsite on the south end has room for multiple vehicles with rooftop tents and plenty of room for ground tents with three fire rings. The three campsites on the north end of the trail are large enough for two v...
Learn more about Paint Pond Trail

This is a windy gravel mountain road. It winds along the edge of the mountain with mild elevation changes. Beautiful drive with a couple of good spots to catch a view, although there are no official lookouts. The road is well-maintained and makes a great "Sunday drive". The view is very pretty in th...
Learn more about Green Mountain Road

This is a gravel/dirt road uphill to a large open field with roads. The property includes open range horses and cattle, and there are lots of side trails to adventure onto. The trail can be reached off Highway 221 in Pineville, Kentucky. There's a railroad crossing as well as old gas wells on the pr...
Learn more about Mary's Wild Horse Trail