Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Fairview Heights, Illinois

Bidwell FSR 2199, is a gravel forestry road that travels through Mark Twain National Forest. Bidwell is one of the longest forestry routes on the eastern side of the forest clocking in at 8.6 forestries serviced miles or 11.85 with the gravel roads that feed into it. Bidwell features many steep grad...
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Johns Creek FSR 2170 is a half gravel half dirt forestry route through the northeasternmost section of Mark Twain National Forest, which resides in lower Ste Genevieve County Missouri. The trail is focused on being a hunting destination, full of campsite cutouts amongst the tall pines, and is genera...
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This road starts as well-maintained gravel for the first 300 feet and then quickly turns to a light gravel/dirt 2-track. This road will take you through Mark Twain National Forest land and dead-ends 2.8 miles in. On this road, you will find a beautiful drive through the hills and may get to experien...
Learn more about Anderson Hollow (FSR 2168)

Lost Creek Road is a scenic, graded gravel road. The road is fairly smooth, with the typical potholes. Shortly after you start, you'll come across a flowing waterfall off the road to the left. As you travel down, you find yourself at various creek crossings. The depth varies from an inch to eight in...
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Mount Gilead Church FSR 2148, is a gravel forestry road that travels a small area of the Fredericktown sector of Mark Twain National Forest, within the northern hills of Madison County, Missouri. It features course gravel that was recently hauled in for logging purposes, there are a few mild hills a...
Learn more about Mount Gilead Church FSR 2148

Knob Lick Tower Road leads to a Missouri Department of Conservation area that holds the publicly accessible Knob Lick Tower overlooking the St Francois Mountains. The road's primary surface is gravel, and despite being well-packed, and maintained, it features mounding, washboarding, and mild ruts. T...
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The Happy Hollow FSR 787 is a gravel forestry route in the northwest Mississippi Bluffs sector of Shawnee National Forest. The trail specifically goes up into the hills along the Mississippi River north of Grand Tower, IL. It climbs just shy of 300 feet over the first .7 mile of the gravel, which is...
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The Big Muddy River Levee Road is the southern publicly accessible 10-mile-long gravel road following the ridge top of the Levee, along the lower southern section of the Big Muddy River in Jackson County Illinois. Note that the Northern 3.4 mile section of this road has transferred from the public-o...
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Flatwoods Spur B (FS 2438B) is a natural dirt and gravel forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. The Flatwoods Spur B heads north from the main road, Flatwoods FS 2438, heading into the woods along the ridge going north and then east from the main ridge. The road ha...
Learn more about Flatwoods Spur B - FS 2438B

This forest service road is a 2 track through the Mark Twain National Forest and is part of the Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger district. It is a great little side trip off the main road to see the forest, and this area also offers a couple of secluded camping spots. Most of this road is overgrown, so e...
Learn more about Highline FSR 2472

The Oakwood Bottoms FSR 786, and Turkey Bayou FSR 786R, also know in the forestry maps as Johns Spur Road, is a gravel forestry road through the wetland bottoms in the northwest Mississippi Bluffs sector of Shawnee National Forest. Through there is two separate road names and IDs the road seamlessly...
Learn more about Oakwood Bottoms/Turkey Bayou FSR 786/786R

Whitewater Presbyterian Church Road, also known as Bollinger County Road 256, is a scenic and mildly challenging 2.2-mile gravel route perfect for stock four-wheel-drive vehicles, SUVs, and SxSs seeking an off-the-beaten-path connection between Missouri Route KK and Route K. Spanning a brief but eng...
Learn more about Whitewater Presbyterian Church Road

Whitewater Creek Road is an easy, scenic gravel route ideal for beginners, overland families, and stock four-wheel-drive vehicles looking to enjoy a peaceful drive along the Whitewater River. Spanning approximately 2.75 miles and connecting Bollinger County Road 930 with Perry County Road 722, this ...
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Coffman Hollow (FS 2907) is a natural dirt, coarse gravel, and natural rock forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. Coffman Hollow heads west off the FS 2438, going along the raised ridge, slowly shedding off elevation downhill for the first mile, traversing small w...
Learn more about Coffman Hollow - FS 2907

Allen Branch FS 4004 is an easy, scenic 2.35-mile dirt and gravel road in the Mark Twain National Forest. Perfect for beginners, hunters, and hikers, the straightforward route rises gently from 1,156 to 1,275 feet through dense forest. It is easily passable by high-clearance vehicles, and standard s...
Learn more about Allen Branch FS 4004

The Bollinger County 918 is a gravel county road connecting to other county roads in the area. It has mild rutting, washboarding, and mounding and shows signs of wear near its low-water bridge and hilly sections. This adds excitement to using it as a route to get around. Water collection spots, natu...
Learn more about Bo-Co Road 918

Clear Creek North Side (FS 2269) is a dirt and gravel forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. The dirty natural gravel surface track heads south from the Floyd Tower Road ridge, going into the treelines at a slight downhill grade to the middle section of the trail t...
Learn more about Clear Creek North Side - FS 2269

Pigeon Roost Road or Washington County Road 603, is a gravel-dirt mixed road going through portions of rural Washington County land and the Potosi Unit within Mark Twain National Forest. The road features a unique use as an official Rally Stage in the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood (Spring-March) and th...
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Meridian FS 2421 is a coarse gravel road off Grassy Hollow Road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. The track features a scenic ride through the ridges and valleys between Lost Creek and Little Lost Creek. The trail features mild-graded hills, water collection spots, natural rock, ...
Learn more about Meridian - FS 2421

The Castor River Shut-ins Road, also known as Madison County Road 253, is a simple gravel road leading to the Missouri Department of Conservation Area of the same name. The road features smooth riding with well-maintained gravel, at the halfway point is the entrance to the parking lot for the Shut-i...
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Flatwoods Spur B (FS 2438B) is a natural dirt and gravel forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. The Flatwoods Spur B heads north from the main road, Flatwoods FS 2438, heading into the woods along the ridge going north and then east from the main ridge. The road ha...
Learn more about Flatwoods Spur B - FS 2438B

This forest service road is a 2 track through the Mark Twain National Forest and is part of the Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger district. It is a great little side trip off the main road to see the forest, and this area also offers a couple of secluded camping spots. Most of this road is overgrown, so e...
Learn more about Highline FSR 2472

Coffman Hollow (FS 2907) is a natural dirt, coarse gravel, and natural rock forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. Coffman Hollow heads west off the FS 2438, going along the raised ridge, slowly shedding off elevation downhill for the first mile, traversing small w...
Learn more about Coffman Hollow - FS 2907

Allen Branch FS 4004 is an easy, scenic 2.35-mile dirt and gravel road in the Mark Twain National Forest. Perfect for beginners, hunters, and hikers, the straightforward route rises gently from 1,156 to 1,275 feet through dense forest. It is easily passable by high-clearance vehicles, and standard s...
Learn more about Allen Branch FS 4004

This road starts as well-maintained gravel for the first 300 feet and then quickly turns to a light gravel/dirt 2-track. This road will take you through Mark Twain National Forest land and dead-ends 2.8 miles in. On this road, you will find a beautiful drive through the hills and may get to experien...
Learn more about Anderson Hollow (FSR 2168)

Flatwoods Spur B (FS 2438B) is a natural dirt and gravel forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. The Flatwoods Spur B heads north from the main road, Flatwoods FS 2438, heading into the woods along the ridge going north and then east from the main ridge. The road ha...
Learn more about Flatwoods Spur B - FS 2438B

This forest service road is a 2 track through the Mark Twain National Forest and is part of the Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger district. It is a great little side trip off the main road to see the forest, and this area also offers a couple of secluded camping spots. Most of this road is overgrown, so e...
Learn more about Highline FSR 2472

Coffman Hollow (FS 2907) is a natural dirt, coarse gravel, and natural rock forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. Coffman Hollow heads west off the FS 2438, going along the raised ridge, slowly shedding off elevation downhill for the first mile, traversing small w...
Learn more about Coffman Hollow - FS 2907