Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Nellysford, Virginia

State Route 610 or Howardsville Turnpike is an easy and beautiful connector trail going up to the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. This route is great if you are looking for an alternate way up to the parkway to access great hikes such as Humpback Rocks, or going down to get to the Sherando Lake Recreatio...
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Tuckaho Road is a short, 0.9-mile gravel road managed by the U.S. Forest Service within George Washington National Forest. The surface is smooth and well-maintained, suitable for full-width 4×4 vehicles, high-clearance rigs, SxS, ATVs, dirt bikes, and even non-4x4 vehicles. There are no major obstac...
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Crabtree Meadows is a scenic 5.1-mile point-to-point offroad trail in Virginia's George Washington National Forest that is ideal for stock high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles, SxSs, and dual-sport motorcycles looking for a mix of gravel and rocky terrain. Starting from State Route 56, the route...
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Coal Road is an easy, scenic 13.3-mile forest service corridor in the George Washington National Forest, perfect for beginners, scenic drivers, and recreationists seeking access to nearby trailheads. This well-maintained route features a mix of asphalt on both ends and graded gravel throughout the m...
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St. Mary's Road is a trail leading to the parking area for the St. Mary's Wilderness area. It is a short gravel forest road with little to no cell service and a large trailhead parking lot at the end. One vehicle-accessible campsite is located just before the parking lot along the creek, and another...
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Greasy Springs is a scenic and moderately challenging 4.5-mile out-and-back trail in Virginia's George Washington National Forest, perfect for four-wheel-drive vehicles and SxSs looking to access the Appalachian Trail. Originating off Rocky Mountain Towers Road, this narrow, single-width two-track r...
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Big Mary is an easy-going 2.9-mile gravel forest service road in the George Washington National Forest, perfect for novice offroaders, scenic drivers, and outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore the beautiful Appalachian backcountry. Following the scenic corridor of Big Mary Creek, this trail feature...
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FR1176, also known as Rocky Mountain Road, is an ideal route for offroaders seeking a short but scenic mountain climb that leads to impressive high-elevation vistas in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Beginning at Salt Log Gap at an elevation of 3,235 feet, this 1.7-mile trail a...
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This short offshoot from Hog Camp Trail leads to the Mount Pleasant Scenic Area with opportunities for hiking and camping.
Learn more about FR51-AT

Big Piney is a gravel road passing through a portion of the George Washington National Forest, offering access to hiking, camping and swimming. The trail is rocky and typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings and obstacles under 12" on the trail, including ...
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Hog Camp Road is a scenic 5.8-mile mountain route through the George Washington National Forest, perfect for stock four-wheel-drive vehicles, high-clearance SUVs, and SxSs looking for high-elevation access. Climbing over 1,200 feet from a minimum elevation of 2,465 feet up to a peak of 3,505 feet, t...
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Browns Gap Turnpike, also known as Route 629, is a dead‑end route that terminates at Shenandoah National Park. The route begins as a maintained gravel driveway for roughly the first 10 percent of the trail, with difficulty increasing to about 2/10 due to washouts and channels approximately 6 inches ...
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This forest road climbs 3.6 miles from the free campground at Oronoco, in the George Washington National Forest near the Mount Pleasant Scenic Area, gaining about 950 feet on the way up toward the Blue Ridge Parkway. It runs single-wide for the entire route through beautiful hardwood forest, with a ...
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Mount Horeb Road climbs away from US 60 outside Amherst, offering a quieter alternative route toward Long Mountain Wayside when you'd rather not follow a slow truck up the highway. It starts on pavement through open farmland, passing a handful of houses and crossing a one-lane bridge, before switchi...
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Cow Camp Road is an inviting mountain route in the George Washington National Forest that offers offroaders of all skill levels a gentle climb through scenic hardwood forests and quick access to famous Blue Ridge hiking trails. Spanning approximately 3.4 miles, this unpaved forest road ascends the s...
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Little North Mountain WMA has a mix of seasonally open routes that all dead-end eventually. This route includes a scenic, lightly maintained state road to access the area. The roads are marginally maintained gravel with some small mud holes and stream crossings. Be aware that all Virginia WMAs requi...
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The northern end of Shady Mountain Road starts just east of the Blue Ridge Parkway near the town of Buena Vista. It travels mostly south towards the Lynchburg Reservoir for 7.5 miles. Along the route, there are a few campsites. Some are along spur trails, and a few near the southern terminus are jus...
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This trail is mostly graded gravel, with some dirt and a few rocky sections. There are multiple water features, small waterfalls along the trail, one-lane bridges, and scenic waysides. There are dispersed campsites in abundance in the area, and the trailhead to the Appalachian Trail is on Swapping C...
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Hite Hollow is located in the George Washington National Forest, west of Staunton, VA. It's a basic trail that offers outstanding views of the surrounding area. The trail is mainly rock and dirt and has several switchbacks that take you up the ridge line. Many of these switchbacks offer stunning vie...
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Hite Hollow is a well-maintained 9.5-mile gravel road located in the George Washington National Forest, west of Staunton, VA. It offers great views and alternates between rocky and smooth gravel as it climbs and switchbacks through the forest. There are dispersed camping options, but little to no ...
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Tuckaho Road is a short, 0.9-mile gravel road managed by the U.S. Forest Service within George Washington National Forest. The surface is smooth and well-maintained, suitable for full-width 4×4 vehicles, high-clearance rigs, SxS, ATVs, dirt bikes, and even non-4x4 vehicles. There are no major obstac...
Learn more about Tuckaho

FR1176, also known as Rocky Mountain Road, is an ideal route for offroaders seeking a short but scenic mountain climb that leads to impressive high-elevation vistas in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Beginning at Salt Log Gap at an elevation of 3,235 feet, this 1.7-mile trail a...
Learn more about FR1176

This short offshoot from Hog Camp Trail leads to the Mount Pleasant Scenic Area with opportunities for hiking and camping.
Learn more about FR51-AT

Big Piney is a gravel road passing through a portion of the George Washington National Forest, offering access to hiking, camping and swimming. The trail is rocky and typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings and obstacles under 12" on the trail, including ...
Learn more about Big Piney

Tuckaho Road is a short, 0.9-mile gravel road managed by the U.S. Forest Service within George Washington National Forest. The surface is smooth and well-maintained, suitable for full-width 4×4 vehicles, high-clearance rigs, SxS, ATVs, dirt bikes, and even non-4x4 vehicles. There are no major obstac...
Learn more about Tuckaho

FR1176, also known as Rocky Mountain Road, is an ideal route for offroaders seeking a short but scenic mountain climb that leads to impressive high-elevation vistas in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Beginning at Salt Log Gap at an elevation of 3,235 feet, this 1.7-mile trail a...
Learn more about FR1176

Big Piney is a gravel road passing through a portion of the George Washington National Forest, offering access to hiking, camping and swimming. The trail is rocky and typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings and obstacles under 12" on the trail, including ...
Learn more about Big Piney

Hog Camp Road is a scenic 5.8-mile mountain route through the George Washington National Forest, perfect for stock four-wheel-drive vehicles, high-clearance SUVs, and SxSs looking for high-elevation access. Climbing over 1,200 feet from a minimum elevation of 2,465 feet up to a peak of 3,505 feet, t...
Learn more about Hog Camp