Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Mills River, North Carolina

This is an easy road that does not require 4x4. The road is not maintained when it has snowed. You gain 945 feet of elevation, but it is very gradual. There are several places along the road with stunning views, but you would have to go in the winter to get the best views. There are several designat...
Learn more about Wash Creek FR 5000

Bent Creek Trail (Forest Service Road 479) is an easy, scenic gravel connector ideal for beginner off-roaders and overland travelers looking to transition seamlessly from the Asheville area to the heights of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Spanning approximately 4.4 miles through the Pisgah National Forest,...
Learn more about Bent Creek Trail

Avery Creek is a well-maintained gravel road that winds through Pisgah National Forest. This is a single-track road with room to pass most of the way through. There are lots of great creekside campsites toward the beginning of the south entrance. Dispersed camping in designated sites only. Once you...
Learn more about Avery Creek - FS 477

Headwater Road (FS 475B) is an easygoing forest service road suited for stock SUVs, crossovers, and high-clearance passenger vehicles looking for scenic access in the Pisgah Ranger District. Starting off US-276 near the Davidson River and the base of Looking Glass Rock, this well-traveled gravel rou...
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Cove Creek Road - FS 225 is a 2.2-mile out-and-back route that follows a single-lane gravel road with places to pass. The road is well maintained and travels through heavily forested terrain before reaching a clearing at the end of the route. Rated easy, it features a smooth surface with no obstacle...
Learn more about Cove Creek Road - FS 225

Davidson River Road is a well-maintained Forest Service road that travels through a portion of the Pisgah National Forest. The road runs adjacent to the Davidson River. There are several waterfalls visible from the trail and access points for the river. Several trailheads offer parking along the tra...
Learn more about Davidson River Road - FS 475

Pinnacle - SCAR Alternate offers dual-sport riders and four-wheel-drive enthusiasts a scenic detour off the main South Carolina Adventure Route, showcasing stunning ridgetop views along the boundary of DuPont State Recreational Forest. Spanning approximately 20.4 miles, this trail climbs from a mini...
Learn more about Pinnacle - SCAR Alternate

Pinnacle Mountain Road offers an easy and scenic driving experience ideal for beginners, families, and stock high-clearance vehicles looking to explore the beautiful woodlands along the North Carolina and South Carolina border. Running through a mix of public and wildlife conservation lands, this ro...
Learn more about Pinicale Mt Rd

This is a short dirt and gravel trail that can be combined with Pinnacle Mountain Road to make a great loop. It runs along a small stream with great views of the stream and a small waterfall. It runs through a wooded area from a river valley up to a ridge. It's an easy trail with only small rocks an...
Learn more about Green River Road

Cathey's Creek Road (FS 471) is a quintessential 7.4-mile gravel route through the lush, high-canopy forests of the Pisgah National Forest. Starting off US Route 64, the trail maintains a steady, winding climb as it tracks the path of the creek. This route is a popular connector for overlanders and ...
Learn more about Cathey's Creek Road - FS 471

Cold Spring Gap Road - CR 4663 is a well-maintained two-way gravel road on the northeast end and not quite as smooth on the southwest entrance, which is labeled Wolf Mountain Road - CR 4663C. There are some camping spots along this road and a few creeks. CR 4663B Dills Falls Road can be accessed alo...
Learn more about Cold Spring Gap Road

Piney Mountain Flats (FS 4666), part of the Rough Butt trail complex, is a 0.6-mile point-to-point route that follows a single-lane forest road with few places to pass. The packed dirt and rock surface is not maintained and travels through heavily forested terrain with an easy difficulty rating. Com...
Learn more about Piney Mountain Flats - FS 4666 (Rough Butt)

Hunt Cabin (FS 4666A) is a 0.8-mile out-and-back route that follows a single-lane forest road with few places to pass. The packed dirt and gravel surface is not maintained as it travels through heavily forested terrain with an easy difficulty rating. A quiet forest setting, some erosion, and several...
Learn more about Hunt Cabin - FS 4666A

Sugar Creek Gap - FS 4665 is a 7.2-mile out-and-back route that follows a generously sized single-lane gravel road with places to pass. The road is well maintained and travels through heavily forested terrain, providing an easy drive with a smooth surface and few obstacles throughout its length. Its...
Learn more about Sugar Creek Gap - FS 4665

Rock Bridge Road - SR 1140 is a 1.7-mile point-to-point route that follows a single-lane road with places to pass over a well-maintained, packed dirt and gravel surface. Passing through heavily forested terrain, the route is rated easy and provides a smooth drive with no significant obstacles, makin...
Learn more about Rock Bridge Road - SR 1140

Flat Creek - FS 4662 is a 2.2-mile out-and-back route that follows a single-lane road with few places to pass over a packed dirt and gravel surface. The road is lightly maintained and travels through heavily forested terrain, providing an easy drive with a smooth surface and no significant obstacles...
Learn more about Flat Creek - FS 4662

Canebrake Road is a 5-mile-long gravel road that cuts through the Jocassee Gorges and Laurel Fork Heritage Wildlife Management areas. It is generally open to motorized vehicles from September 15 through January 2 and March 20th through the end of April. The road is open to plated vehicles as well as...
Learn more about Canebrake Road

Old Bald Ridge Trail is a mildly used out-and-back two-track through the Nantahala National Forest. The trail is accessed from Moses Creek Road, which is asphalt up to the entry into the National Forest, where its designation changes to FS4651. 3.2 miles up Moses Creek Road, the Old Bald Ridge trail...
Learn more about Old Bald Ridge - FS 4652

Sassafras - SCAR Alternate is an easy, scenic out-and-back trail designed for any offroad enthusiast looking to stand atop South Carolina's highest point of elevation. This 8.7-mile route serves as a fantastic spur from the main South Carolina Adventure Route (SCAR) loop, climbing from an elevation ...
Learn more about Sassafras - SCAR Alternate

Canebrake Road is a 2.1-mile-long gravel road the road cutting through the Jocassee Gorges and Laurel Fork Heritage Wildlife Management areas. The road is generally open to motorized vehicles from September 15 through January 2 and from March 20th through the end of April. The road is open to plated...
Learn more about Jackie's Ridge Road

This is an easy road that does not require 4x4. The road is not maintained when it has snowed. You gain 945 feet of elevation, but it is very gradual. There are several places along the road with stunning views, but you would have to go in the winter to get the best views. There are several designat...
Learn more about Wash Creek FR 5000

Avery Creek is a well-maintained gravel road that winds through Pisgah National Forest. This is a single-track road with room to pass most of the way through. There are lots of great creekside campsites toward the beginning of the south entrance. Dispersed camping in designated sites only. Once you...
Learn more about Avery Creek - FS 477

Trail 1A is a wide OHV route ascends steadily up the mountain, climbing 300 feet over just over half a mile. The trail is fast and flowy, with gradual curves and waterbars placed throughout to manage runoff. Despite the leaf litter that can obscure the trail surface, it rides smoothly overall. Expec...
Learn more about Upper Wayehutta Creek Trail 1A

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 the next 3/4 mile to reach a peak elevation of approximately 4,200 feet. The ...
Learn more about Locust Gap Trail 2

This is an easy road that does not require 4x4. The road is not maintained when it has snowed. You gain 945 feet of elevation, but it is very gradual. There are several places along the road with stunning views, but you would have to go in the winter to get the best views. There are several designat...
Learn more about Wash Creek FR 5000

Avery Creek is a well-maintained gravel road that winds through Pisgah National Forest. This is a single-track road with room to pass most of the way through. There are lots of great creekside campsites toward the beginning of the south entrance. Dispersed camping in designated sites only. Once you...
Learn more about Avery Creek - FS 477

Canebrake Road is a 5-mile-long gravel road that cuts through the Jocassee Gorges and Laurel Fork Heritage Wildlife Management areas. It is generally open to motorized vehicles from September 15 through January 2 and March 20th through the end of April. The road is open to plated vehicles as well as...
Learn more about Canebrake Road

Old Bald Ridge Trail is a mildly used out-and-back two-track through the Nantahala National Forest. The trail is accessed from Moses Creek Road, which is asphalt up to the entry into the National Forest, where its designation changes to FS4651. 3.2 miles up Moses Creek Road, the Old Bald Ridge trail...
Learn more about Old Bald Ridge - FS 4652