Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Morganfield, Kentucky

The Cadiz Campground Trail begins within Shawnee National Forest at Cadiz Campground, a primitive-style campground that offers designated campsites with fire pits, restroom facilities, and a water fill spigot. The route starts as a maintained gravel road and provides easy access from within the camp...
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River to River Trail is a gravel route within Shawnee National Forest that provides access to backcountry hiking and equestrian trails. The road is generally easy to follow and travels through a more remote section of the forest, offering a quieter experience for those looking to explore beyond main...
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High Knob Trail is a gravel route within Shawnee National Forest that travels through an equestrian campground before climbing to a scenic overlook. Drivers should use caution when passing through the campground area, yielding to horses and minimizing speed and dust. The trail gradually gains elevat...
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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 and consists of typical forest gravel terrain. The launch area is best suited for small boats, kayaks, canoes, an...
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The Eagle Mountain Fire Road is a gravel service road through the Eagle Mountain area in the most northern section of the Hidden Springs sector of Shawnee National Forest. The road acts as a main artery road that most of the other trails in the area are connected to or even loop back to. It is mostl...
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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 and occasional tree limbs overhanging the route. This trail provides a rela...
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Stone Face Lane/Recreation Area FS 1453 is a gravel access road to the hiking trail and scenic bluff rock overlook of the same name. It is a part of the Eagle Mountain area within the Hidden Springs sector of Shawnee National Forest. The lane is short but provides a great place to stage and meet up ...
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Wamble Mountain Spur Road FS 707A is a natural-improved trail in Shawnee National Forest near the Eagle Mountain area, within the Hidden Springs Sector. The FS 707A is best described as your uncle's secret hunting road; few know about it, and the entrance gives the vibe that no one uses it. However,...
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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, there is an old cemetery along with access to hiking trails and a small primiti...
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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 and suitable for most 2WD vehicles, though sections of tree overhang may limit clearance for ta...
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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 generally easy to follow and consists of typical forest gravel terrain. Along the route, drivers may encou...
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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 equestrian use, offering space for trailers and staging before entering the trail...
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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 navigate and follows a typical forest gravel surface with minimal obstacles. At the end of the trail, visi...
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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 with minimal obstacles. Along the trail, visitors will find several access points for h...
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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 navigate and suitable for most vehicles, making it a primary access point for visitors to th...
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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 gravel terrain with occasional uneven sections. This route provides a quieter, more scenic...
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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 of the area’s popular trail systems. At the end of the road, visitors will find a sp...
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The Open Ponds trail can be accessed through the Blue Bird Trail or the east side of the Long Wall Access Trail. This trail traverses along ridges between a number of ponds, and through the valleys of strip hills. When approached from the north side, the Open Ponds Trail begins with a descent and cr...
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Lady Cemetery FSR 128 is a simple gravel forestry road that is in the Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. It traverses over rolling hills, minor washboarding, natural rocks poking through the surface, and potholes, in spots the road may fade into being partially dirt. It is located in t...
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"The Switchback" (aka "Wooded Racetrack") is a 0.7-mile loop. You can access it from a few different trails, but the easiest is off of Old Highway 13. Once you see signs showing you where to enter, just follow the arrows. The most important part of this trail, since it is a loop, follow the arrows a...
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The Open Ponds trail can be accessed through the Blue Bird Trail or the east side of the Long Wall Access Trail. This trail traverses along ridges between a number of ponds, and through the valleys of strip hills. When approached from the north side, the Open Ponds Trail begins with a descent and cr...
Learn more about Open Ponds Trail

"The Switchback" (aka "Wooded Racetrack") is a 0.7-mile loop. You can access it from a few different trails, but the easiest is off of Old Highway 13. Once you see signs showing you where to enter, just follow the arrows. The most important part of this trail, since it is a loop, follow the arrows a...
Learn more about The Switchback

The Pallet Trail is one of the main routes through the south portion of the forest, and gives riders access to many secondary and tertiary routes. At the north side, this trail is accessed from Old Route 13 and begins with a mixture of gravel and dirt. The surface composition throughout the trail co...
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The East Field access trail is the main route leading to the Haul Road. A few side trails are also accessible through this road, such as the Olive Trail, along with some short hill-climb crossover routes to Old Highway 13. The East Field trail is accessed through the east side of the campground, and...
Learn more about East Field Access Trail

The Open Ponds trail can be accessed through the Blue Bird Trail or the east side of the Long Wall Access Trail. This trail traverses along ridges between a number of ponds, and through the valleys of strip hills. When approached from the north side, the Open Ponds Trail begins with a descent and cr...
Learn more about Open Ponds Trail

"The Switchback" (aka "Wooded Racetrack") is a 0.7-mile loop. You can access it from a few different trails, but the easiest is off of Old Highway 13. Once you see signs showing you where to enter, just follow the arrows. The most important part of this trail, since it is a loop, follow the arrows a...
Learn more about The Switchback

The Pallet Trail is one of the main routes through the south portion of the forest, and gives riders access to many secondary and tertiary routes. At the north side, this trail is accessed from Old Route 13 and begins with a mixture of gravel and dirt. The surface composition throughout the trail co...
Learn more about Pallet Trail

The East Field access trail is the main route leading to the Haul Road. A few side trails are also accessible through this road, such as the Olive Trail, along with some short hill-climb crossover routes to Old Highway 13. The East Field trail is accessed through the east side of the campground, and...
Learn more about East Field Access Trail