Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Gorham, Illinois

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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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...
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Tower Rock Road or Perry County Road 460 is a gravel road that parallels the Mississippi River, leading you to the historic Tower Rock Natural Area. The road has a few steep grades and is amongst the forest. Expect some serious washboarding and gravel mounding due to heavy use. Near the end you cros...
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Rattlesnake Ferry - FS 345 is maintained gravel transforming to a natural forest service road in Shawnee National Forest, north of the LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Natural Area, a part of the greater Mississippi Bluffs unit. The Rattlesnake Ferry features smoother gravel from the higher elev...
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The SFR 743/743A branches off the Natural Bridge Road SFR 750 within Shawnee National Forest. The SFR 743/743A adds to the depth of the experience of going to the Natural Bridge, where the 750 gives you a scenic road and a hike, and the SFR 743/743A brings offroading and wildlife to the mix. Overall...
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Pine Hills Road SFR 236 within Shawnee National Forest is a very lovely gravel Shawnee National Forest Road with access to hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and a campground all in one. Its biggest obstacles are a few steep grades with lite water washes, mounding loose gravel, and mild washboarding. ...
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Muddy Levee Road, not to be confused with Big Muddy Levee Road, is the gravel levee road along the southeast side of Big Muddy River, crossing over Levee District land, and Shawnee National Forest, to enter the LaRue-Pine Hills Natural Research Area. The road is commonly used as the gateway access t...
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LaRue Road FS 345, Scatters Road, or North LaRue Road to differentiate it from the Snake Road, is a maintained gravel road with easement over privately owned Jackson County land and Shawnee National Forest, within the LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Natural Area, a part of the greater Mississip...
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This is a maintained gravel road with an occasional flat natural rock sticking up in the middle of the road. This trail features beautiful tall pines and areas you can see for miles. The road leads up a steep grade that may include washboards and mild washes when the season is wet and conditions are...
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Snake Road FS 345 or South LaRue Road, is a maintained gravel road in Shawnee National Forest, within the LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Natural Area, a part of the greater Mississippi Bluffs unit. Snake Road gets its name from the local snakes that migrate over the road between the limestone ...
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The Lovejoy Creek Road, also known as the Cape Girardeau County Road 532, is one of the last true creek bottom roads in Cape Girardeau County. The road on both ends is maintained with gravel by the County Highway Department, but the center section still travels over the natural creek bed of Lovejoy ...
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The Cape Girardeau County Roads 521 and 520 form a great scenic gravel road and loop with the main road of the area (US-61, with help from Cape Co 510). The roads were constructed around two creeks in the area, Hughes Creek and Buckeye Creek. It features a natural low-water bridge traversing over be...
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South Forest Road is the gravel-based southern forest loop within the Illinois Trail of Tears State Forest. It features a one-way track from the western entry to the east exit on the paved State Forest Road. The area features a yearly closure from December 24th to the end of the wild Turkey Season (...
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North Forest Road is the gravel-based southern forest loop within the Illinois Trail of Tears State Forest. It features a one-way track from the eastern entry to the west exit on the paved State Forest Road. The area features a yearly closure from December 24th to the end of the wild Turkey Season (...
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As a branch of Atwood Road 266, the Hamburg 266A is a bit more of an offroading road and less of a scenic road within Shawnee National Forest. It has an off-camber hill within .2 of the entrance followed by many water collection areas that get muddy, the gravel fades in on the hilltops and out in th...
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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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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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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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Whitewater Presbyterian Church Road, or the Bo-Co Road 256, is a gravel county road that traverses passed the church and into the valley below. The bottom section of the road features mild rutting, natural rock popping up at the surface, and gravel fading to dirt, potentially muddy with wet conditio...
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This is a maintained gravel road with an occasional flat natural rock sticking up in the middle of the road. This trail features beautiful tall pines and areas you can see for miles. The road leads up a steep grade that may include washboards and mild washes when the season is wet and conditions are...
Learn more about Natural Bridge Road

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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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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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. ...
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This is a maintained gravel road with an occasional flat natural rock sticking up in the middle of the road. This trail features beautiful tall pines and areas you can see for miles. The road leads up a steep grade that may include washboards and mild washes when the season is wet and conditions are...
Learn more about Natural Bridge Road

As a branch of Atwood Road 266, the Hamburg 266A is a bit more of an offroading road and less of a scenic road within Shawnee National Forest. It has an off-camber hill within .2 of the entrance followed by many water collection areas that get muddy, the gravel fades in on the hilltops and out in th...
Learn more about Hamburg SFR 266A

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 ...
Learn more about Atwood Road SFR 266

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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