Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

Bidwell FSR 2199, is a gravel forestry road that travels through Mark Twain National Forest. Bidwell is one of the longest forestry routes on the eastern side of the forest clocking in at 8.6 forestries serviced miles or 11.85 with the gravel roads that feed into it. Bidwell features many steep grad...
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Johns Creek FSR 2170 is a half gravel half dirt forestry route through the northeasternmost section of Mark Twain National Forest, which resides in lower Ste Genevieve County Missouri. The trail is focused on being a hunting destination, full of campsite cutouts amongst the tall pines, and is genera...
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This road starts as well-maintained gravel for the first 300 feet and then quickly turns to a light gravel/dirt 2-track. This road will take you through Mark Twain National Forest land and dead-ends 2.8 miles in. On this road, you will find a beautiful drive through the hills and may get to experien...
Learn more about Anderson Hollow (FSR 2168)

The Happy Hollow FSR 787 is a gravel forestry route in the northwest Mississippi Bluffs sector of Shawnee National Forest. The trail specifically goes up into the hills along the Mississippi River north of Grand Tower, IL. It climbs just shy of 300 feet over the first .7 mile of the gravel, which is...
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The Big Muddy River Levee Road is the southern publicly accessible 10-mile-long gravel road following the ridge top of the Levee, along the lower southern section of the Big Muddy River in Jackson County Illinois. Note that the Northern 3.4 mile section of this road has transferred from the public-o...
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The Oakwood Bottoms FSR 786, and Turkey Bayou FSR 786R, also know in the forestry maps as Johns Spur Road, is a gravel forestry road through the wetland bottoms in the northwest Mississippi Bluffs sector of Shawnee National Forest. Through there is two separate road names and IDs the road seamlessly...
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Mount Gilead Church FSR 2148, is a gravel forestry road that travels a small area of the Fredericktown sector of Mark Twain National Forest, within the northern hills of Madison County, Missouri. It features course gravel that was recently hauled in for logging purposes, there are a few mild hills a...
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Tower Rock Road or Perry County Road 460 is a gravel road that parallels the Mississippi River, leading you to the historic Tower Rock Natural Area. The road has a few steep grades and is amongst the forest. Expect some serious washboarding and gravel mounding due to heavy use. Near the end you cros...
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Whitewater Presbyterian Church Road, or the Bo-Co Road 256, is a gravel county road that traverses passed the church and into the valley below. The bottom section of the road features mild rutting, natural rock popping up at the surface, and gravel fading to dirt, potentially muddy with wet conditio...
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Whitewater Creek Road or Bollinger County Road 930/Perry County Road 722, is two gravel county roads that seamlessly connect to lead along and overlook the Whitewater River. The road is mild with only the subtle challenge of washboarding, mounding, and signs of low maintenance. In places, the gravel...
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Knob Lick Tower Road leads to a Missouri Department of Conservation area that holds the publicly accessible Knob Lick Tower overlooking the St Francois Mountains. The road's primary surface is gravel, and despite being well-packed, and maintained, it features mounding, washboarding, and mild ruts. T...
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Rattlesnake Ferry - FS 345 is maintained gravel transforming to a natural forest service road in Shawnee National Forest, north of the LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Natural Area, a part of the greater Mississippi Bluffs unit. The Rattlesnake Ferry features smoother gravel from the higher elev...
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The SFR 743/743A branches off the Natural Bridge Road SFR 750 within Shawnee National Forest. The SFR 743/743A adds to the depth of the experience of going to the Natural Bridge, where the 750 gives you a scenic road and a hike, and the SFR 743/743A brings offroading and wildlife to the mix. Overall...
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The Bollinger County 918 is a gravel county road connecting to other county roads in the area. It has mild rutting, washboarding, and mounding and shows signs of wear near its low-water bridge and hilly sections. This adds excitement to using it as a route to get around. Water collection spots, natu...
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The Castor River Shut-ins Road, also known as Madison County Road 253, is a simple gravel road leading to the Missouri Department of Conservation Area of the same name. The road features smooth riding with well-maintained gravel, at the halfway point is the entrance to the parking lot for the Shut-i...
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This is a maintained gravel road with an occasional flat natural rock sticking up in the middle of the road. This trail features beautiful tall pines and areas you can see for miles. The road leads up a steep grade that may include washboards and mild washes when the season is wet and conditions are...
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The Bollinger County Road 238 is a gravel county road snaking through the country's low land, along the Whitewater River. The road provides great access to the river for fishing and a swimming hole. It also is conveniently placed in between some of the area's main artery roads, Route K to Sedgewickv...
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The Cape Girardeau County Roads 521 and 520 form a great scenic gravel road and loop with the main road of the area (US-61, with help from Cape Co 510). The roads were constructed around two creeks in the area, Hughes Creek and Buckeye Creek. It features a natural low-water bridge traversing over be...
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Pine Hills Road SFR 236 within Shawnee National Forest is a very lovely gravel Shawnee National Forest Road with access to hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and a campground all in one. Its biggest obstacles are a few steep grades with lite water washes, mounding loose gravel, and mild washboarding. ...
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Muddy Levee Road, not to be confused with Big Muddy Levee Road, is the gravel levee road along the southeast side of Big Muddy River, crossing over Levee District land, and Shawnee National Forest, to enter the LaRue-Pine Hills Natural Research Area. The road is commonly used as the gateway access t...
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This is a maintained gravel road with an occasional flat natural rock sticking up in the middle of the road. This trail features beautiful tall pines and areas you can see for miles. The road leads up a steep grade that may include washboards and mild washes when the season is wet and conditions are...
Learn more about Natural Bridge Road

Flatwoods Spur B (FS 2438B) is a natural dirt and gravel forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. The Flatwoods Spur B heads north from the main road, Flatwoods FS 2438, heading into the woods along the ridge going north and then east from the main ridge. The road ha...
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This forest service road is a 2 track through the Mark Twain National Forest and is part of the Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger district. It is a great little side trip off the main road to see the forest, and this area also offers a couple of secluded camping spots. Most of this road is overgrown, so e...
Learn more about Highline FSR 2472

Very easy up to the power line. It's a road. Easy access to a place to hike, camp, or hunt. Particularly to hike or hunt the power-line cut. After the power lines, it's a trail for about 125 yards. Towards the top staying to the left will connect to CR 605 [AKA Jinkerson Road which is paved] which c...
Learn more about Allen Branch FS 4004

This road starts as well-maintained gravel for the first 300 feet and then quickly turns to a light gravel/dirt 2-track. This road will take you through Mark Twain National Forest land and dead-ends 2.8 miles in. On this road, you will find a beautiful drive through the hills and may get to experien...
Learn more about Anderson Hollow (FSR 2168)

This is a maintained gravel road with an occasional flat natural rock sticking up in the middle of the road. This trail features beautiful tall pines and areas you can see for miles. The road leads up a steep grade that may include washboards and mild washes when the season is wet and conditions are...
Learn more about Natural Bridge Road

Flatwoods Spur B (FS 2438B) is a natural dirt and gravel forest service road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. The Flatwoods Spur B heads north from the main road, Flatwoods FS 2438, heading into the woods along the ridge going north and then east from the main ridge. The road ha...
Learn more about Flatwoods Spur B - FS 2438B

This forest service road is a 2 track through the Mark Twain National Forest and is part of the Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger district. It is a great little side trip off the main road to see the forest, and this area also offers a couple of secluded camping spots. Most of this road is overgrown, so e...
Learn more about Highline FSR 2472