Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Highlands, North Carolina

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

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

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…
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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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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 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

This less traveled route in Clayton, GA, offers a relaxed ride on gravel roads that will become washboard after rain. This is the perfect spot to get away from some of the more popular trails…
Learn more about Lick Log Creek

This trail follows along one the the many Chattoga River plateau's that overlook the Wild and Scenic River. This is a maintained trail that is mostly gravel with many washboard sections. Camping is allowed in…
Learn more about Fall Creek - FSR 722

This trail follows along one the the many Chattooga River plateau's that overlook the Wild and Scenic River. This is a maintained trail that is mostly gravel with many washboard sections. Camping is allowed in…
Learn more about Chattooga River - FSR 769

This is an out-and-back trail that follows a relatively easy, mostly single-lane gravel and dirt road through scenic sections of the Chattahoochee National Forest. Along the route, you may encounter a few small washouts and…
Learn more about FS 977

This out-and-back trail follows an easy, single-lane dirt road that winds through scenic sections of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The route is slightly narrow in places, so light pinstriping from overgrown vegetation is possible. Along…
Learn more about FS 977A

This trail leading to Woodall Shoals is the second-to-last rafting takeout along the Chattooga River. This maintained gravel road leads to the trailhead that leads to a perfect location to cool off in an Appalachian…
Learn more about Woodall Shoals - Road 757

This out-and-back, single-lane trail features several pull-off areas where oncoming vehicles can safely pass, although traffic is typically light and encounters are infrequent. FS 518 includes a mix of gravel and dirt surfaces, with some…
Learn more about FS 518

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

This out-and-back trail follows an easy, mostly single-lane gravel road through the scenic Chattahoochee National Forest. The first half is well-maintained and offers a smooth, relaxing drive. About halfway in, you'll pass a church and…
Learn more about Wolf Creek Church Road - FS 515

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

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

This trail leads to the trailhead for Long Creek Falls, one of the most iconic falls along the wild and scenic Chattoga River. This trail leads from the main highway to the large parking area…
Learn more about Long Creek Falls - RD 755

This is an out-and-back trail that begins as a relatively easy, double-lane gravel road before narrowing to a single-lane gravel and dirt road through scenic sections of the Chattahoochee National Forest. Along the route, you…
Learn more about Deaden Timber Road - FS 825

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