Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Bulls Gap, 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...
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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...
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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

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...
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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...
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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...
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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

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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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 ...
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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...
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This is a 4.2-mile out-and-back single-lane forest service road on the Tennessee side of the Cherokee National Forest, southeast of Greeneville, Tennessee, leading up to the Bald Mountains region. It is accessed from Greeneville, TN via Greystone Road and eventually turns into Round Knob Road. The r...
Learn more about Round Knob Road - FS88

Kennedy Cabin is a moderately easy out-and-back dirt trail accessed from Firescald Trail. The route follows a single-lane corridor with few opportunities to turn around before reaching the end, making it important to be aware of trail traffic before committing. The surface is a mix of dirt and scatt...
Learn more about Kennedy Cabin

Firescald is a moderately easy out-and-back dirt trail accessed from Viking Mountain Road that offers a more rugged forest driving experience. The route remains primarily single-lane with very few pull-off areas, so drivers should be prepared to encounter limited passing opportunities. The surface c...
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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 ...
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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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Turning to gravel 5 miles in, Viking Mountain Road is a 3.5-mile out-and-back single-lane forest service road on the Tennessee side of the Cherokee National Forest, southeast of Greeneville, Tennessee, leading up to the Bald Mountains region. On pavement, it is accessed from Greeneville, Tennessee v...
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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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Jennings Creek Road travels along the border of Cherokee National Forest between the Horse Creek Recreation Area and the Old Forge NF Campground. The campground has walk-in sites with a parking lot only 10 to 25 yards from most of the sites. Pit toilets are also available at the campground. The road...
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Camp Creek Bald is a moderately easy out-and-back dirt trail accessed from Viking Mountain Road. The route follows a generally wide single-lane corridor with enough room in most areas for vehicles to pass one another. While the trail is straightforward overall, drivers will encounter washouts and un...
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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

Turning to gravel 5 miles in, Viking Mountain Road is a 3.5-mile out-and-back single-lane forest service road on the Tennessee side of the Cherokee National Forest, southeast of Greeneville, Tennessee, leading up to the Bald Mountains region. On pavement, it is accessed from Greeneville, Tennessee v...
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Wolf Creek Road is a 6.1-mile gravel road kept in good shape by the Cherokee National Forest. It's mostly one lane, but there are plenty of wide spots to pass. You can access it from Round Mountain Road to the south or Upper Shut-In Road from the north on the North Carolina side. The road climbs thr...
Learn more about Wolf Creek Road

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

Turning to gravel 5 miles in, Viking Mountain Road is a 3.5-mile out-and-back single-lane forest service road on the Tennessee side of the Cherokee National Forest, southeast of Greeneville, Tennessee, leading up to the Bald Mountains region. On pavement, it is accessed from Greeneville, Tennessee v...
Learn more about Viking Mountain Road

Wolf Creek Road is a 6.1-mile gravel road kept in good shape by the Cherokee National Forest. It's mostly one lane, but there are plenty of wide spots to pass. You can access it from Round Mountain Road to the south or Upper Shut-In Road from the north on the North Carolina side. The road climbs thr...
Learn more about Wolf Creek Road