Trail Overview

This is a well-maintained gravel road that goes from Highway 25W to the elk viewing tower at Hatfield Knob. There are several viewing areas and lookouts on the way up as well, so keep an eye out for elk and deer. September is the best time to view elk, as they tend to gather into large herds during the rut. The use of trails in the North Cumberland WMA requires a valid TWRA Riding permit (Type 38, 72, or 71 for Out of State) or the necessary hunting permits to hunt in the North Cumberland WMA (Type 001 and 093 for residents). These are available at https://license.gooutdoorstennessee.com/.

Photos of Elk Viewing Tower Road - Trail 25

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Difficulty

This road is smooth gravel all the way but can get washed out after big storms. Stock 4WD and 2WD vehicles should be able to do this with no difficulty as long as it doesn't get too rutted. TWRA maintains this road pretty well, so it's not typically a problem.

History

It had been about 150 years since elk wandered throughout Tennessee. Beginning in December 2000, the agency began conducting small releases of elk from Elk Island National Park (Alberta, Canada) into the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. There were 201 elk in total that were released over a period of eight years. Now there are about 400 elk in Tennessee and the numbers are steadily growing.

Technical Rating

Chris Wallace

Feb 21, 2026

Open

Devon Treadway

Nov 10, 2025

Open

Very easy to navigate; there were a few pull offs that seemed rougher but didn’t explore them so I can’t say whether or not they actually go anywhere useful. There are also a few very obvious designated pull offs you can use to either eat or just grab some photos. Can very easily drive the trail in a basic 2WD.

Jason

Oct 25, 2025

Open

D Scott

Mar 28, 2025

Open

Trail was well maintained. Easy to navigate. There were sxs and a 4wd truck at the parking area down from the viewing tower. Saw 4 elk at the viewing tower. Pleasant ride.