Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Coopertown, Tennessee

Winding through the gentle terrain of northern Tennessee, this graded gravel trail marks the starting point of the iconic Macon County Tour (MCT), a 100+ mile off-road journey that explores the rolling hills and hardwood forests of Tennessee and Kentucky. While generally easy and well-maintained, th...
Learn more about Gravley Hill Road - Macon County Tour

This trail starts off as an easy gravel track with several creek crossings. About halfway through the track, the gravel stops, and the track turns into a mixture of dirt and rock that will lead you through another creek crossing. The entrance and exit of this creek crossing is slick shale that could...
Learn more about Tooley Branch Road

This scenic off-road trail, part of the Macon County Tour (MCT), offers an easy yet engaging drive through Tennessee's rolling backcountry. While the route follows a graded path, multiple washouts and narrow stretches without shoulders--some with steep drop-offs--add a layer of caution to the otherw...
Learn more about Sullivan Hollow Road - Macon County Tour

This is a public access dirt road that makes up a portion of the famed, Tennessee Dirt Devil. While not particularly challenging, trail riders will enjoy beautiful views of sprawling farmland and wildlife. One water crossing has a paved bridge which is eroding heavily at a corner and can be treacher...
Learn more about South Lick Creek Road

This is a public access dirt road that has a few simple water crossings. It's 2WD-friendly and easy to complete. The surrounding property off the road is private property, so be sure to stay on the road and do not drive up the creek to adhere to Tread Lightly standards as well as local laws.
Learn more about Porter Branch Road

Old Mill Creek Road is great for someone just getting into off-roading. Most, if not all, of this route is safe and easy enough for high-clearance 2WD. However, there are one to two muddy/rocky areas that could benefit from 4WD depending on the amount of rain the area has received and how muddy it i...
Learn more about Old Mill Creek Road

This is a public access dirt road that makes up a portion of the famed, Tennessee Dirt Devil. While not particularly challenging, trail riders will enjoy beautiful views graced with rockwork and a very nice waterfall. The surrounding property off the roadway is private property so be sure to stay on...
Learn more about Dutch Potts Hollow Road

This trail is only open to vehicles that are registered and street legal. If your vehicle is not registered or street legal, do not attempt this trail. If you're up for some light trail riding under a canopy provided by beautiful, mature trees, Cedar Forest Road in the Cedars of Lebanon State Forest...
Learn more about Cedar Forest Road

This is a public access dirt road that makes up a portion of the famed, Tennessee Dirt Devil. While not particularly challenging, trail riders will enjoy beautiful views graced with an abandoned church and old cemetery, multiple elevation changes with some washed-out areas, puddles to splash through...
Learn more about Tyler Ridge Road

This is a public access dirt road that makes up a portion of the famed, Tennessee Dirt Devil. While not particularly challenging, trail riders will enjoy several elevation changes along a winding trail through a mixed forest. Several single-lane wooden bridges are along the route so be aware of the ...
Learn more about Web Hollow Road

Gatlin Point South FSR 227 is a gravel forestry road through the southeast corner of the southern Tennessee section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lake National Recreation Area. This road features small rolling hills and beautiful treelines, with minimal water collection spots on the ro...
Learn more about Gatlin Point South FSR 227

Bear Creek Road FSR 229 is a gravel forestry road through the southeast corner of the southern Tennessee section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lake National Recreation Area. This road is made up of small hills leading to the generally flat bottoms near Bards Lake and crosses over the B...
Learn more about Bear Creek Road FSR 229

Gatlin Point North FSR 228 is a gravel forestry road through the southeast corner of the southern Tennessee section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lake National Recreation Area. This road features small rolling hills cutting through the treelines leading down mild rutted grades into the...
Learn more about Gatlin Point North FSR 228

This is a public access dirt road that makes up a portion of the famed, Tennessee Dirt Devil. While not particularly challenging, trail riders will enjoy a gorgeous winding trail through a lush forest and little to no traffic leading to a peaceful drive. Several elevation changes occur which can res...
Learn more about Old Highway 50

Wix Hollow Road is a scenic and slightly more dynamic segment of the Macon County Tour that briefly crosses into the state of Kentucky. The route features a mixed surface of dirt and gravel, offering a relaxed drive with a bit more character than a standard, maintained county road. The surrounding l...
Learn more about Wix Hollow Road - Macon County Tour

Shockley Hill Road is a very brief connector within the Macon County Tour, serving as a short transition between longer segments of pavement along the route. The road surface is gravel and straightforward for easy navigation, for 4WD and high-clearance 2WD vehicles. While not a destination segment o...
Learn more about Shockley Hill Road - Macon County Tour

This stretch of the iconic Macon County Tour offers a scenic drive through gently rolling hills and a patchwork of open farmland, blending rural charm with a few rugged elements. The road is primarily gravel, interrupted by a very brief paved connector that leads into a striking elevation change--co...
Learn more about Dry Branch to Dixon Creek Road - Macon County Tour

Puncheon Creek Road is a scenic gravel segment of the Macon County Tour that follows and repeatedly crosses flowing water, creating a relaxed drive with 3 shallow creek features. The road surface consists primarily of loose gravel and travels in close proximity to rural homes and working farms, so m...
Learn more about Puncheon Creek Road - Macon County Tour

Starts off easy going, small washouts and puddle crossings. The bottoms of the crossings are not muddy and pretty solid. About halfway through, you encounter a 30-degree downward incline. Massive washouts and slippery, loose rock. Spotter advised. Nice little trail through the woods that ends at a p...
Learn more about Bear Creek Road

Tharpe Road FSR 221 is a gravel forestry road through southern Tennessee, the center section of the peninsula, within the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. It features a gently and well maintained gravel road going over rolling hills, from the Woodland Trace on the east side to the FS...
Learn more about Tharpe Road FSR 221

Winding through the gentle terrain of northern Tennessee, this graded gravel trail marks the starting point of the iconic Macon County Tour (MCT), a 100+ mile off-road journey that explores the rolling hills and hardwood forests of Tennessee and Kentucky. While generally easy and well-maintained, th...
Learn more about Gravley Hill Road - Macon County Tour

This scenic off-road trail, part of the Macon County Tour (MCT), offers an easy yet engaging drive through Tennessee's rolling backcountry. While the route follows a graded path, multiple washouts and narrow stretches without shoulders--some with steep drop-offs--add a layer of caution to the otherw...
Learn more about Sullivan Hollow Road - Macon County Tour

This is a public access dirt road that makes up a portion of the famed, Tennessee Dirt Devil. While not particularly challenging, trail riders will enjoy beautiful views of sprawling farmland and wildlife. One water crossing has a paved bridge which is eroding heavily at a corner and can be treacher...
Learn more about South Lick Creek Road

This is a public access dirt road that has a few simple water crossings. It's 2WD-friendly and easy to complete. The surrounding property off the road is private property, so be sure to stay on the road and do not drive up the creek to adhere to Tread Lightly standards as well as local laws.
Learn more about Porter Branch Road

Winding through the gentle terrain of northern Tennessee, this graded gravel trail marks the starting point of the iconic Macon County Tour (MCT), a 100+ mile off-road journey that explores the rolling hills and hardwood forests of Tennessee and Kentucky. While generally easy and well-maintained, th...
Learn more about Gravley Hill Road - Macon County Tour

This scenic off-road trail, part of the Macon County Tour (MCT), offers an easy yet engaging drive through Tennessee's rolling backcountry. While the route follows a graded path, multiple washouts and narrow stretches without shoulders--some with steep drop-offs--add a layer of caution to the otherw...
Learn more about Sullivan Hollow Road - Macon County Tour

This is a public access dirt road that makes up a portion of the famed, Tennessee Dirt Devil. While not particularly challenging, trail riders will enjoy beautiful views of sprawling farmland and wildlife. One water crossing has a paved bridge which is eroding heavily at a corner and can be treacher...
Learn more about South Lick Creek Road

This is a public access dirt road that has a few simple water crossings. It's 2WD-friendly and easy to complete. The surrounding property off the road is private property, so be sure to stay on the road and do not drive up the creek to adhere to Tread Lightly standards as well as local laws.
Learn more about Porter Branch Road