Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Buena Vista, Virginia

The northern end of Shady Mountain Road starts just east of the Blue Ridge Parkway near the town of Buena Vista. It travels mostly south towards the Lynchburg Reservoir for 7.5 miles. Along the route, there are a few campsites. Some are along spur trails, and a few near the southern terminus are jus...
Learn more about Shady Mountain Road

This trail is a maintained gravel road that follows Irish Creek and offers multiple large camping areas with access to the water. It provides an easy and scenic drive, especially during the fall season. Gates are located at each end of the road, though no signage indicates when they close. This road...
Learn more about Little Irish Road - FS 311

This trail is mostly graded gravel, with some dirt and a few rocky sections. There are multiple water features, small waterfalls along the trail, one-lane bridges, and scenic waysides. There are dispersed campsites in abundance in the area, and the trailhead to the Appalachian Trail is on Swapping C...
Learn more about Swapping Camp

A seasonal forest route that traces along the Blue Ridge Parkway at a lower elevation. The surface is natural dirt with rocks, mud, and stream crossings. A tunnel around the mid-point passes under the BRP. Several mud holes are of varying difficulty depending on recent rain. The trail can be accesse...
Learn more about Enchanted Creek

Cow Camp Road is an inviting mountain route in the George Washington National Forest that offers offroaders of all skill levels a gentle climb through scenic hardwood forests and quick access to famous Blue Ridge hiking trails. Spanning approximately 3.4 miles, this unpaved forest road ascends the s...
Learn more about Cow Camp Road

Hog Camp Road provides access to a variety of hiking and camping opportunities in the George Washington National Forest. The south end is well traveled and easily passable, however north of the Mount Pleasant Scenic Area, expect more rugged terrain.
Learn more about Hog Camp

Pedlar River is a basic trail in Virginia's George Washington National Forest. The trail is a maintained Forest Service road with a largely gravel surface and occasional small rocky areas. The trail is two-way, with its northern terminus near the Oronoco Campground. The trail offers decent views of ...
Learn more about Pedlar River

Cedar Bridge Hollow, designated as FS 36D, is a seasonally open route with access from April 1 through January 10. The trail begins as an easy, well‑maintained gravel road with minimal vegetation overgrowth. As it climbs the mountain and continues deeper into the forest, the difficulty increases to ...
Learn more about Cedar Bridge Hollow

Bear Tolley, designated as FS 36E, is a seasonally open route with access from April 1 through January 10. The trail begins with an easy, well‑maintained gravel surface for the first mile, offering smooth travel and minimal vegetation overgrowth. Beyond this initial section, the road becomes more c...
Learn more about Bear Tolley

Lasso Trail is a 2.6-mile spur off the north end of the South Pedlar loop, forming a lasso-shaped route that adds a scenic extension to your ride. The trail is wide and smooth throughout, with well-spaced water bars and minimal obstacles, making it ideal for riders of all skill levels. It winds thro...
Learn more about Lasso

Big Piney is a gravel road passing through a portion of the George Washington National Forest, offering access to hiking, camping and swimming. The trail is rocky and typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings and obstacles under 12" on the trail, including ...
Learn more about Big Piney

South Pedlar is a 10.5-mile ATV loop trail in George Washington National Forest offering a fast and flowy ride through mossy woodlands. The wide, well-maintained trail features a smooth surface with scattered loose rocks and leaf debris, along with banked corners and wooden bridges. While most of th...
Learn more about South Pedlar

This short offshoot from Hog Camp Trail leads to the Mount Pleasant Scenic Area with opportunities for hiking and camping.
Learn more about FR51-AT

Whiteside Road is another great option within the local gravel road network, connecting users to other off-road routes in the area, creating a scenic loop. This well-maintained, hard-packed gravel road is free of significant obstacles and provides an easy and enjoyable route through the countryside....
Learn more about Whiteside Road

Lone Mountain Trail is a 1.8-mile easy connector that cuts across the South Pedlar ATV loop, allowing riders to create shorter route options. The trail winds gradually through a beautiful forest dominated by eastern hardwoods, with tight corners and meandering curves that offer a more enclosed, inti...
Learn more about Lone Mountain

Otter Trail is a 1-mile loop that branches off the South Pedlar Trail, offering riders a short detour to change up the pace or add a bit of mileage. Like the other trails in the area, it features a wide tread with well-built waterbars and sweeping curves that meander through dense forest. The trail ...
Learn more about Otter

Piney Trail is a 0.9-mile gradual ascent when traveling west to east, serving as a useful cutoff across the South Pedlar loop to shorten your ride. The trail is wide and smooth with well-placed waterbars, and any small loose rocks or leaf litter are mostly pushed to the sides. A few muddy ruts may b...
Learn more about Piney

Adair Hill is a scenic gravel route that users can combine with Chestnut Grove Trail, Fredericksburg Road, and Whiteside Road to create a loop and spend a few hours exploring the countryside in a beautiful mountain setting. The trail consists of hard-packed, winding gravel and is well maintained and...
Learn more about Adair Hill

FR1176, also known as Rocky Mountain Road, is an ideal route for offroaders seeking a short but scenic mountain climb that leads to impressive high-elevation vistas in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Beginning at Salt Log Gap at an elevation of 3,235 feet, this 1.7-mile trail a...
Learn more about FR1176

Terrapin Trail is a short, 0.6-mile connector linking the South Pedlar Trailhead parking area off State Highway 130 to the main South Pedlar loop. This easy, smooth trail is very wide with no obstacles, consistent with the rest of the trail system. It features the same hard-packed surface, scattered...
Learn more about Terrapin

Cow Camp Road is an inviting mountain route in the George Washington National Forest that offers offroaders of all skill levels a gentle climb through scenic hardwood forests and quick access to famous Blue Ridge hiking trails. Spanning approximately 3.4 miles, this unpaved forest road ascends the s...
Learn more about Cow Camp Road

Hog Camp Road provides access to a variety of hiking and camping opportunities in the George Washington National Forest. The south end is well traveled and easily passable, however north of the Mount Pleasant Scenic Area, expect more rugged terrain.
Learn more about Hog Camp

Lasso Trail is a 2.6-mile spur off the north end of the South Pedlar loop, forming a lasso-shaped route that adds a scenic extension to your ride. The trail is wide and smooth throughout, with well-spaced water bars and minimal obstacles, making it ideal for riders of all skill levels. It winds thro...
Learn more about Lasso

Big Piney is a gravel road passing through a portion of the George Washington National Forest, offering access to hiking, camping and swimming. The trail is rocky and typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings and obstacles under 12" on the trail, including ...
Learn more about Big Piney

Cow Camp Road is an inviting mountain route in the George Washington National Forest that offers offroaders of all skill levels a gentle climb through scenic hardwood forests and quick access to famous Blue Ridge hiking trails. Spanning approximately 3.4 miles, this unpaved forest road ascends the s...
Learn more about Cow Camp Road

Hog Camp Road provides access to a variety of hiking and camping opportunities in the George Washington National Forest. The south end is well traveled and easily passable, however north of the Mount Pleasant Scenic Area, expect more rugged terrain.
Learn more about Hog Camp

Big Piney is a gravel road passing through a portion of the George Washington National Forest, offering access to hiking, camping and swimming. The trail is rocky and typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings and obstacles under 12" on the trail, including ...
Learn more about Big Piney

FR1176, also known as Rocky Mountain Road, is an ideal route for offroaders seeking a short but scenic mountain climb that leads to impressive high-elevation vistas in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Beginning at Salt Log Gap at an elevation of 3,235 feet, this 1.7-mile trail a...
Learn more about FR1176