Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Sikeston, Missouri

The Scott County Road 405, is a sand flat road in lower Scott County, Missouri, which shows one of the more unique terrains the state has to offer. The road features a few turns and bridges crossing over water-diverting channels of the area. The road is mostly sand with gravel near each end, at time...
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The General Watkins Cemetery Road is the farthest west entrance into the General Watkins Conservation Area off US Route 61. It is a gravel road that leads up a hillside to the ridge top where General Watkins' resting area is located, as well as a large parking area and the point where the 1.8-mile h...
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General Watkins Park Road is a mile-long gravel road leading into the General Watkins Missouri Conservation Area. This road takes you off US-61 straight into some gorgeous wilderness and hiking areas, with a great area to set up camp for a night. The road is light and easy, but traverses a few mild-...
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Goose Pond Hills Road is a gravel back road that leads through the Goose Pond Hills northwest of Advance Missouri. The road dances on the Bollinger and Stoddard County lines, featuring Bollinger County 652, and Stoddard County 206 and 211. At 37.12510, -89.94084 there is a decent overlook at the tre...
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Wolf Creek Road is a gravel road running through a section of the Shawnee National Forest. It clocks in at 3.8 miles, leading slowly downhill from the hills of the Mississippi Bluffs into the low-laying land of central southern IL. It has 2 concrete-bottomed low-water bridges that may turn into shal...
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The Clear Creek Levee Road parallels IL Route 3 North and South connecting the dots with a lot of routes that lead to Shawnee National Forest and other trails. It's a simple gravel road with the occasional pothole or dirt section but is worth adding to your drive if you want to avoid main roads or t...
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Old Goat SFR 625 and 625A is a State Forest Road in Shawnee National Forest. The road is short at only 1.1 miles long, but packs a punch, dipping through a creek bottom shortly after climbing a steep grade while circling around the first main hill. The hill features small ruts and gravel fading to d...
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The Slick Ridge FSR 262G is a mildly challenging natural fire road that has the reward of a great view of Shawnee National Forest. It features an off-camber eroded section that will test your articulation and clearances. It runs you through several small mud holes and a small grade with tree roots. ...
Learn more about Slick Ridge FSR 262G

McCraven SFR 220 is a very scenic nature-viewing gravel road in Shawnee National Forest. It is a very easy trail with a minimal challenge, but there are a few muddy crossings and water collection spots within its medium-grade graveled hills. It also features a couple of branch trails, the SFR 504 an...
Learn more about McCraven SFR 220

Delta Road and Moad Hollow Road are the precursors to the Opossum Trot Trail System within Shawnee National Forest. This gravel road features an easy cruise leading you through the Illinois countryside showing off its lowland valley beauty. You'll eventually be going into the rolling hills of Shawne...
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Laflin Road, or Bollinger County Road 408 (and a very small portion of the BCR 450), is a gravel road traversing the center-east portion of Bollinger County. The southwestern end of the road begins at the small town of Leopold, Missouri, leaving the history-rich town on the hill it rests, heading to...
Learn more about Laflin Road - BCR 408

Leopold Road, or Bollinger County Road 402, is a gravel road traversing the center-east portion of Bollinger County. The southern end of the road begins at small town of Leopold, Missouri, leaving the history rich town on the hill it rests, dropping into the valley of the Crooked Creek, where the tr...
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Burner Hill FSR 620 is an old gravel forestry road in the southern area of the Mississippi Bluffs sector of Shawnee National Forest. The road seems near-forgotten, and shows little signs of use or maintenance. Fallen trees add to the fun and challenge of weaving your way to the top of the road. The ...
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Opossum Trot Road SFR 628 is a scenic well-maintained gravel road through Shawnee National Forest. The trail features great views and ease of driving, but if you are looking for a thrill, it has a few branch trails that lead off it with some medium to hard challenges. Overall, the Opossum Trot is yo...
Learn more about Opossum Trot Road SFR 628

Brush Creek Road, or Bollinger County 720, is a gravel backroad that, runs along Brush, and Slagle Creek through the hilly countryside. The road features several steep hills, sections of the road that show serious wear and potential for flash flooding when conditions are wet. The road has a base of ...
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East Detla Road, is the eastern section of the road going through Shawnee National Forest connecting the Opossum Trot Trail System to Elco, IL. The road is a steady uphill climb when headed west, gaining 275 feet over it's trek. The gravel road is mild and only shows slight rutting, washing, and mou...
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Whitney Hollow Road is an easy gravel road, that in conjunction with Wilderness Retreat Road, form access in between the Silica Hill section to the Opossum Trot section of Shawnee National Forest. The Whitney Hollow Road features 2 low water bridges with only mild flow during rain fall, this is back...
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The Bollinger Mill Road, also known as Cape Girardeau County Road 360, is a gravel county road that leads to the Bollinger Mill State Historical Site. The gravel road is well maintained but comes full of views and scenery of the farmland neighboring the Mill and Upper Whitewater River, the road come...
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The Old Scopus Road, or Bollinger County 302, is a gravel back road connecting Marble Hill, MO to Scopus, MO, that features hill climbs, low land hollows, washed-out rutted edges, low water bridge creek crossings, and swimming holes. The road is an ideal cruising back road, has great rolling hills, ...
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The South Silica Hill Road is a gravel road headed south off the Silica Hill trail system through Shawnee National Forest. It is a gravel road at the base, featuring a mild-grade hill from where it branches south off the SFR 645. This hill features a campsite cut-out perfect for overlanding. Then th...
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The Slick Ridge FSR 262G is a mildly challenging natural fire road that has the reward of a great view of Shawnee National Forest. It features an off-camber eroded section that will test your articulation and clearances. It runs you through several small mud holes and a small grade with tree roots. ...
Learn more about Slick Ridge FSR 262G

McCraven SFR 220 is a very scenic nature-viewing gravel road in Shawnee National Forest. It is a very easy trail with a minimal challenge, but there are a few muddy crossings and water collection spots within its medium-grade graveled hills. It also features a couple of branch trails, the SFR 504 an...
Learn more about McCraven SFR 220

The N Hamburg Hill Spur 266AA, within Shawnee National Forest, is a trail that once was traversable by full-width vehicles, but in its current state should only be trekked by dirt bikes and 4-wheelers, within the first .1 mile there is a turnaround/parking area to unload, but from there on, the trai...
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Sheehy Road (FS 3741) is a natural gravel and dirt forest service road within the Poplar Bluff Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. Sheehy Road begins heading north where County Road 431/FS 3664 meets its northeast end at private property, First the road crosses a small brook with a splash level of w...
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The Clear Creek Levee Road parallels IL Route 3 North and South connecting the dots with a lot of routes that lead to Shawnee National Forest and other trails. It's a simple gravel road with the occasional pothole or dirt section but is worth adding to your drive if you want to avoid main roads or t...
Learn more about Clear Creek Levee Road

The Slick Ridge FSR 262G is a mildly challenging natural fire road that has the reward of a great view of Shawnee National Forest. It features an off-camber eroded section that will test your articulation and clearances. It runs you through several small mud holes and a small grade with tree roots. ...
Learn more about Slick Ridge FSR 262G

McCraven SFR 220 is a very scenic nature-viewing gravel road in Shawnee National Forest. It is a very easy trail with a minimal challenge, but there are a few muddy crossings and water collection spots within its medium-grade graveled hills. It also features a couple of branch trails, the SFR 504 an...
Learn more about McCraven SFR 220

Laflin Road, or Bollinger County Road 408 (and a very small portion of the BCR 450), is a gravel road traversing the center-east portion of Bollinger County. The southwestern end of the road begins at the small town of Leopold, Missouri, leaving the history-rich town on the hill it rests, heading to...
Learn more about Laflin Road - BCR 408