Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Columbus, Kentucky

The Scott County Road 405, is a sand flat road in lower Scott County, Missouri, which shows one of the more unique terrains the state has to offer. The road features a few turns and bridges crossing over water-diverting channels of the area. The road is mostly sand with gravel near each end, at time...
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General Watkins Park Road is a mile-long gravel road leading into the General Watkins Missouri Conservation Area. This road takes you off US-61 straight into some gorgeous wilderness and hiking areas, with a great area to set up camp for a night. The road is light and easy, but traverses a few mild-...
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The General Watkins Cemetery Road is the farthest west entrance into the General Watkins Conservation Area off US Route 61. It is a gravel road that leads up a hillside to the ridge top where General Watkins' resting area is located, as well as a large parking area and the point where the 1.8-mile h...
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Wolf Creek Road is a gravel road running through a section of the Shawnee National Forest. It clocks in at 3.8 miles, leading slowly downhill from the hills of the Mississippi Bluffs into the low-laying land of central southern IL. It has 2 concrete-bottomed low-water bridges that may turn into shal...
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Old Goat SFR 625 and 625A is a State Forest Road in Shawnee National Forest. The road is short at only 1.1 miles long, but packs a punch, dipping through a creek bottom shortly after climbing a steep grade while circling around the first main hill. The hill features small ruts and gravel fading to d...
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Burner Hill FSR 620 is an old gravel forestry road in the southern area of the Mississippi Bluffs sector of Shawnee National Forest. The road seems near-forgotten, and shows little signs of use or maintenance. Fallen trees add to the fun and challenge of weaving your way to the top of the road. The ...
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The Slick Ridge FSR 262G is a mildly challenging natural fire road that has the reward of a great view of Shawnee National Forest. It features an off-camber eroded section that will test your articulation and clearances. It runs you through several small mud holes and a small grade with tree roots. ...
Learn more about Slick Ridge FSR 262G

The Clear Creek Levee Road parallels IL Route 3 North and South connecting the dots with a lot of routes that lead to Shawnee National Forest and other trails. It's a simple gravel road with the occasional pothole or dirt section but is worth adding to your drive if you want to avoid main roads or t...
Learn more about Clear Creek Levee Road

East Detla Road, is the eastern section of the road going through Shawnee National Forest connecting the Opossum Trot Trail System to Elco, IL. The road is a steady uphill climb when headed west, gaining 275 feet over it's trek. The gravel road is mild and only shows slight rutting, washing, and mou...
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Delta Road and Moad Hollow Road are the precursors to the Opossum Trot Trail System within Shawnee National Forest. This gravel road features an easy cruise leading you through the Illinois countryside showing off its lowland valley beauty. You'll eventually be going into the rolling hills of Shawne...
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Opossum Trot Road SFR 628 is a scenic well-maintained gravel road through Shawnee National Forest. The trail features great views and ease of driving, but if you are looking for a thrill, it has a few branch trails that lead off it with some medium to hard challenges. Overall, the Opossum Trot is yo...
Learn more about Opossum Trot Road SFR 628

McCraven SFR 220 is a very scenic nature-viewing gravel road in Shawnee National Forest. It is a very easy trail with a minimal challenge, but there are a few muddy crossings and water collection spots within its medium-grade graveled hills. It also features a couple of branch trails, the SFR 504 an...
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Whitney Hollow Road is an easy gravel road, that in conjunction with Wilderness Retreat Road, form access in between the Silica Hill section to the Opossum Trot section of Shawnee National Forest. The Whitney Hollow Road features 2 low water bridges with only mild flow during rain fall, this is back...
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Lingle Creek Road is a road through the Southern Central Illinois landscape. Clocking in at 3.6 miles the road parallels Lingle Creek as it etches into the country hillsides and farmland of the area. The road features two low-water bridges that could see flash flooding during heavy rain. The road al...
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Wolf Bayou Road is a gravel access road to the Wolf Bayou section of the greater Black Island Conservation Area, managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. The Wolf Bayou is a fish lover's and waterfowl hunter's little hidden gem, featuring several water channels to access the rest within t...
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The South Silica Hill Road is a gravel road headed south off the Silica Hill trail system through Shawnee National Forest. It is a gravel road at the base, featuring a mild-grade hill from where it branches south off the SFR 645. This hill features a campsite cut-out perfect for overlanding. Then th...
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Wilderness Retreat Road is a gravel back road, that in conjunction with Whitney Hollow Road, forms access between the Silica Hill section to the Opossum Trot section of Shawnee National Forest. The Wilderness Retreat features three low-water bridges one being Lingle Creek near where the road branche...
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The West Silica Hill Road SFR 645 is a 1.3-mile-long forestry road through Shawnee National Forest. As you travel the road, grades come in waves from gradual incline to steep grades. These steep grades include tight turns, medium-sized ruts, bare dirt sections, and some mild water collection spots. ...
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Grabber SFR 264 is a 1.7-mile-long forestry road through Shawnee National Forest. It traverses some of the steepest graveled hills in the SW corner of the forest, climbing a total of 406 feet from its entry point to its highest point. It has mild rutting on nearly all inclines, some being medium in ...
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Atwood Road SFR 266 is a Shawnee National Forest state forest road that travels to the old Atwood lookout tower site. The hill's grade is one of the steepest and tallest in the area right at a 500-foot elevation climb within 1.5 miles. The road features sections of well-maintained gravel along with ...
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The Slick Ridge FSR 262G is a mildly challenging natural fire road that has the reward of a great view of Shawnee National Forest. It features an off-camber eroded section that will test your articulation and clearances. It runs you through several small mud holes and a small grade with tree roots. ...
Learn more about Slick Ridge FSR 262G

McCraven SFR 220 is a very scenic nature-viewing gravel road in Shawnee National Forest. It is a very easy trail with a minimal challenge, but there are a few muddy crossings and water collection spots within its medium-grade graveled hills. It also features a couple of branch trails, the SFR 504 an...
Learn more about McCraven SFR 220

The N Hamburg Hill Spur 266AA, within Shawnee National Forest, is a trail that once was traversable by full-width vehicles, but in its current state should only be trekked by dirt bikes and 4-wheelers, within the first .1 mile there is a turnaround/parking area to unload, but from there on, the trai...
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FS 143 is somewhat hidden away from the rest of the Forest Service roads amongst Land Between the Lakes. It is accessed through FS 141. It has a few tight paths through trees and a water crossing through a creekbed. It dead-ends into a power/gas line track and you will have to turn around and come b...
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The Slick Ridge FSR 262G is a mildly challenging natural fire road that has the reward of a great view of Shawnee National Forest. It features an off-camber eroded section that will test your articulation and clearances. It runs you through several small mud holes and a small grade with tree roots. ...
Learn more about Slick Ridge FSR 262G

The Clear Creek Levee Road parallels IL Route 3 North and South connecting the dots with a lot of routes that lead to Shawnee National Forest and other trails. It's a simple gravel road with the occasional pothole or dirt section but is worth adding to your drive if you want to avoid main roads or t...
Learn more about Clear Creek Levee Road

Opossum Trot Road SFR 628 is a scenic well-maintained gravel road through Shawnee National Forest. The trail features great views and ease of driving, but if you are looking for a thrill, it has a few branch trails that lead off it with some medium to hard challenges. Overall, the Opossum Trot is yo...
Learn more about Opossum Trot Road SFR 628

McCraven SFR 220 is a very scenic nature-viewing gravel road in Shawnee National Forest. It is a very easy trail with a minimal challenge, but there are a few muddy crossings and water collection spots within its medium-grade graveled hills. It also features a couple of branch trails, the SFR 504 an...
Learn more about McCraven SFR 220