Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Franklin, North Carolina

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

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

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

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

The Deep Gap Trail, also known as FR 71, takes you from US 64 up into the mountains to the Deep Gap hiking trail in the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. There are several…
Learn more about Deep Gap - FR 71

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

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

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

Tallulah River Trail takes you from Persimmon Road to the Deep Gap/Beech Creek Trailhead in North Carolina. That trail takes you along the Tallulah River. There are several beautiful Campgrounds next to the water. You…
Learn more about Tallulah River Trail - FR 70

This 7+ mile Forrest Service Road connects to the top-rated Sarahs Creek and offers many opportunities for camping and some fishing along the way. Most of the road is well maintained and wide enough for…
Learn more about Walnut Fork

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

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 trail is an easy gravel ride that connects you to 155A. This trail can be completed in 2WD when dry, but it can get slick on the uphills after rain. There are 2 campsites…
Learn more about Tuckaluge Creek Road/153

This trail has a couple of larger waterfalls down and to the side of the shelf road and climbs up pretty rapidly over the course. It is gravel with only a few washout ruts and…
Learn more about Finney Creek - FS 152

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

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

This is an out-and-back side trail from the famous Earls Ford Road, that follows a moderate, mostly single-lane gravel and dirt road through scenic sections of the Chattooga River Ranger District. At the fork towards…
Learn more about FR 159 - Derby Shire Lane

Sandy Ford is a short trail that holds an amazing surprise at the end. The road is regularly maintained; the biggest obstacle is a creek crossing that gets up to 18 inches deep but is…
Learn more about Sandy Ford

Timpson Creek trail is a dirt & gravel road that runs beside, well... Timpson Creek, which is very large for a creek and has a couple of incredible dispersed campsites right beside it. There are…
Learn more about Timpson Creek - FS 162

This trail meanders through the Chattooga River Ranger District, providing visitors with an immersive experience of the region's natural landscape. The road surface consists mainly of gravel with areas of dirt and mud, including occasional…
Learn more about Pool Creek Road

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