Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Cullowhee, North Carolina

Trail 11 features a shelfy traverse up the mountainside with a mix of small rocks, embedded rock layers, sticks, small roots, and occasional moisture. Multiple flat embedded rock slabs make it more interesting without adding…
Learn more about Buck Knob Trail 11

Wayehutta is a public OHV trail system in the Nantahala National Forest. Most of the trails in this system are accessible with anything from a dirt bike to a SxS. No 4x4s are allowed on…
Learn more about Trail 1 - Wayehutta Loop

Rated as moderate by the Forest Service, Trail 7 is a wide route that begins on Wayehutta Road just south of the staging area, crossing a small bridge before climbing steadily up the mountain. Riders…
Learn more about Hemlock Ridge Trail 7

Trail 3 is a frequently used, rocky trail that winds through a beautifully forested section of the Nantahala. The surface includes small loose rocks and moderate curves, and the trail is noticeably worn and troughed…
Learn more about Black Mountain Trail 3

Trail 6 is more moderate compared to the challenging 6A. It still features some steeper climbing with embedded roots and small rocks scattered along the way, and it hugs the mountainside on a shelfy path.…
Learn more about Sunset Ridge Trail 6

Trail 9 is a 1.3-mile, wide path that traces the side of the mountain, offering a mellow and scenic ride. Mostly descending from north to south, it's generally easygoing with leaf cover hiding loose rocks,…
Learn more about Sunset Connector Trail 9 (One-Way)

Trail 7A is an easy access connector back to the main staging area from Trail 7. Starting at its intersection with Trail 7, it crosses a wide bridge over a small creek and continues along…
Learn more about Rail Line Way 7A (One-Way)

Trail 10 is a scenic and well-maintained 0.7-mile loop indicated for one-way travel in a counterclockwise direction. It features a wide, shelfy route climbing the mountainside, with flat and ramped sections and giant embedded rock…
Learn more about Blanton Branch Trail 10

Trail 2 features a shelfy route that contours the mountainside, with mild exposure and sweeping views at higher elevations. Starting at the northern end, it descends gently for a quarter mile before climbing steeply over…
Learn more about Locust Gap Trail 2

This segment of Trail 8 runs for 0.7 miles between Trail 7 and Trail 2, climbing nearly 400 feet in elevation. The route is mostly an uphill grind with several narrow shelfy traverses hugging the…
Learn more about Sawmill Bottoms Trail 8

Trail 1A is a wide OHV route ascends steadily up the mountain, climbing 300 feet over just over half a mile. The trail is fast and flowy, with gradual curves and waterbars placed throughout to…
Learn more about Upper Wayehutta Creek Trail 1A

Old Bald Ridge Trail is a mildly used out-and-back two-track through the Nantahala National Forest. The trail is accessed from Moses Creek Road, which is asphalt up to the entry into the National Forest, where…
Learn more about Old Bald Ridge - FS 4652

This trail features elevation changes, switchbacks, some rocky terrain, a few washboard areas, and blind curves with potential oncoming vehicles. The path is one vehicle wide with places to pass. Not a high degree of…
Learn more about Cowee Bald

Cold Spring Gap Road - CR 4663 is a well-maintained two-way gravel road on the northeast end and not quite as smooth on the southwest entrance, which is labeled Wolf Mountain Road - CR 4663C.…
Learn more about Cold Spring Gap Road

This is simply a scenic alternative to the main loop of the South Carolina Adventure Route. It loops around the confluence of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, extending your ride of the SCAR with…
Learn more about Tri State - SCAR Alternate

Little Yellow Mountain is a well-maintained gravel road that branches off of Blue Valley Road and connects to Clear Creek Road. It is wide enough for two vehicles most of the way. There are several…
Learn more about Little Yellow Mountain - FS 367

Blue Valley Road winds through the scenic Blue Valley Experimental Forest near Highlands, North Carolina. Starting with a brief stretch of pavement, the road quickly transitions to gravel, passing scattered homes before opening into a…
Learn more about Blue Valley Road

Billingsley Creek - FS 86B branches off of the Georgia Traverse in the Chattahoochee National Forest. It is a gravel road with some 12-18" ruts. At the beginning, there are several large campsites right on…
Learn more about Billingsley Creek - FS 86B

If you want to connect the Trans America Trail with the South Carolina Adventure Route, this is your path. It's located North of Walhalla, and connects the SCAR to both the TAT and the Smokey…
Learn more about Trans America Trail / SCAR Connector

Holcomb Creek runs through the Chattahoochee National Forest and connects Billingsley Creek (FS 86B) to Hale Ridge on the Georgia Traverse. This trail is mostly natural with some gravel. It is a single-vehicle wide trail…
Learn more about Holcomb Creek - FS 696

Cove Creek Road is a short gravel route that offers a quick but scenic connection in the area, often used as an access point toward the Cataloochee Turnpike. The road surface is primarily gravel and…
Learn more about Cove Creek Road

Cathey's Creek Road (FS 471) is a quintessential 7.4-mile gravel route through the lush, high-canopy forests of the Pisgah National Forest. Starting off US Route 64, the trail maintains a steady, winding climb as it…
Learn more about Cathey's Creek Road - FS 471

Cataloochee Creek Road is an easy gravel drive that provides access to one of the more historically rich areas in the region. The road is generally well-maintained and typically wide enough for two vehicles, making…
Learn more about Cataloochee Creek Road

This road is seasonally open during the fall and offers unmatched views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The first part of this route is very easy to drive and crosses countless bridges over small mountain…
Learn more about Musterground Road - Part 1

Segment 3 is the "upstate" section of the SCAR, and is bookended by the towns of Westminster and Gaffney. This section transits the Blue Ridge Mountains and consists of some fabulous gravel roads with a…
Learn more about South Carolina Adventure Route Segment 3

Hale Ridge is a gravel and rock road in Georgia's Chattahoochee National Forest. The trail runs from FS86 (The Georgia Traverse) in the north, to Warwoman Road in the south. Hale Ridge is a basic…
Learn more about Hale Ridge

Gravel Road through the GSMNP Cataloochee area to Big Creek. The road is suitable for most vehicles, but higher clearance is recommended due to some rocky areas. The road will close during significant weather events…
Learn more about Cataloochee Turnpike to Big Creek

Tottery Pole is a side trail of the Georgia Traverse. It runs from FS86 (The Georgia Traverse) in the north and connects to Hale Ridge in the south. The trail is gravel and dirt (with…
Learn more about Tottery Pole

This is an out-and-back side trail from the famous FS 156-Sarahs Creek, that follows a relatively easy, mostly single-lane gravel and dirt road through scenic sections of the Warwomen Wildlife Management Area. Along the route,…
Learn more about FS 156A