Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Metropolis, Illinois

Millstone Bluffs Trailhead is accessed by a maintained gravel road within Shawnee National Forest that leads to a large parking area for hikers. The route is easy to follow and provides straightforward access to one…
Learn more about Millstone Bluffs Trailhead

Taylor Ridge Road is a gravel route within Shawnee National Forest that leads to a designated trailhead parking area for nearby hiking trails. The road is generally easy to navigate, with occasional ruts that may…
Learn more about Taylor Ridge Road

Bell Smith Springs Trailhead Access is a gravel and partially paved road within Shawnee National Forest that leads to the main hiking trailhead and campground area at Bell Smith Springs. The route is easy to…
Learn more about Bell Smith Spring Hiking Area

Dutchman Lake Trail is a short gravel road within Shawnee National Forest that leads to a quiet access point at Dutchman Lake. The route is easy to navigate with minimal obstacles, though ruts may develop…
Learn more about Dutchman Lake Trail

One Horse Gap Lake Trail is a gravel road within Shawnee National Forest that leads to a quiet lakeside access point with several primitive camping opportunities along the way. The route is easy to follow…
Learn more about One Horse Gap Lake Trail

Grandpa’s Getaway is a short gravel road that leads to a quiet access point at Little Cache Number 1 Reservoir, also known locally as Bowman Bottoms Fishing Hole. The route is easy to follow and…
Learn more about Grandpa's Getaway

Dutton Chapel Road is a gravel route within Shawnee National Forest that serves as a connector to other trails in the area, including Benham Hill Trail and One Horse Gap Lake Trail. The road is…
Learn more about Dutton Chapel Road

Benham Hill Trail is a gravel route within Shawnee National Forest that provides access to both recreational driving and nearby equestrian and hiking trail systems. The route begins at a large parking area designed for…
Learn more about Benham Hill Trail

Bell Smith Spring Rope Swing Trail is a gravel road within Shawnee National Forest that leads to a spring-fed swimming area known for its rope swings and deep water access. The route is easy to…
Learn more about Bell Smith Spring Rope Swing Trail

Burden Falls Road is a gravel route within Shawnee National Forest that connects the small community of McCormick to Burden Falls Road (402). The road is generally easy to follow and consists of typical forest…
Learn more about Burden Falls Road

Shelby Cemetery Trail is a route within Shawnee National Forest that begins as a gravel road before transitioning into a narrower path with mud, grass, and increasing vegetation overgrowth. At the beginning of the trail,…
Learn more about Shelby Cemetery Trail

Burden Falls Trail is a gravel road within Shawnee National Forest that provides access to multiple hiking points leading to Burden Falls. The route is easy to follow and consists of typical forest gravel terrain…
Learn more about Burden Falls Trail

Nickell Branch FS 102 is a gravel forestry road through the northwest corner of the Kentucky section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The road is graceful and a…
Learn more about Nickell Branch - FS 102

Benberry Cemetery Road FS 301 is a gravel Forest Service road through the northwest corner of the Kentucky section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The Benberry Cemetery Road…
Learn more about Benberry Cemetery Road - FS 301

Twin Lakes South FS 105 is a gravel forest service road in the northwest corner of the Kentucky section, Kentucky Lake side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. It features a track…
Learn more about Twin Lakes South - FS 105

105/106 Connector - FS 106A is a gravel forest service road in the northwest corner of the Kentucky section, Kentucky Lake side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. This is one of…
Learn more about 105/106 Connector - FS 106A

This route leads to a primitive campground area within Shawnee National Forest overlooking Lake of Egypt. The trail follows a partially maintained gravel road with frequent tree limbs overhanging that may limit access for larger…
Learn more about Lake Of Egypt Campground Drive - FS 871A

Goose Ridge Trail is a gravel route within Shawnee National Forest that offers a straightforward out-and-back drive through forest terrain. The road is generally easy to follow, with some ruts that may develop after rainfall…
Learn more about Goose Ridge Trail

This route follows a gravel road within Shawnee National Forest and leads to the Hickory Point Boat Ramp at Lake of Egypt. At the Y-intersection, this route branches away from the campground access and continues…
Learn more about Hickory Point Boat Ramp - FS 871

Willow Creek (FS 109) is a semi-maintained gravel forest service road located in the northwest corner, Lake Barkley side, in the Kentucky section of Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. This route serves as…
Learn more about Willow Creek - FS 109

Whoopie Cat Lake Trail is a gravel road within Shawnee National Forest that leads to a quiet lake access point with a small gravel boat ramp and parking area. The route is easy to follow…
Learn more about Whoopie Cat Lake Trail

Smith Cemetery Spur Road FS 120A/120B is a gravel spur Forest Service road at the end of the FS 120. It is located in the north Kentucky section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between…
Learn more about Smith Cemetery Spur Road FS 120A/120B

Pisgah Point Spur FS 111A is a gravel forestry route through the northwest corner of the northern Kentucky section, Kentucky Lake side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The road consists of…
Learn more about Pisgah Point Spur - FS 111A

The Tornado Valley FSR 112 is a gravel road that parallels a mile inland from the north shoreline of Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. It consists of a few 9-10% grade hills, a…
Learn more about Tornado Valley FSR 112

The Davenport Bay FSR 127B is a degrading old back top road that leads to the water's edge in Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. The road at one point must have been a…
Learn more about Davenport Bay FSR 127B

Smith Cemetery Road FS 120 is a gravel forestry road through the northern Kentucky section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The Smith Cemetery is a gravel road coming…
Learn more about Smith Cemetery Road - FS 120

Yale Road - FS 115, or Birmingham Ferry Road, is a half-paved and half-gravel forest service road through the center-west Kentucky section, Kentucky Lake side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Its…
Learn more about Yale Road - FS 115

Kuttawa Landing FSR 127 is a gravel forestry road that travels to the northernmost point of the Land Between The Lakes Recreation Area. It features mild rutting, gravel turning to mud in places, small water…
Learn more about Kuttawa Landing FSR 127

Bork Falls Road, also known partly as Regent Lane and Cedar Grove Road and featuring the Goreville Waterfall, is a gravel road through Johnson County, Illinois. It provides access to the western section of Ferne…
Learn more about Bork Falls Road

The Rimshot FSR 124 is a forestry gravel road through Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. The road is partially well maintained on the southern end with the northern half showing decent wear and…
Learn more about Rimshot FSR 124