Irishman Branch

Total Miles
3.1

Technical Rating

3

Easy

Best Time

Spring, Summer, Fall

Trail Type

Full-Width Road

Accessible By

Show in App
Irishman Branch
8

Trail Overview

Take a quick trip through the mountains on this scenic forest service road. There are multiple water bars (rain/erosion control mounds) that can catch you by surprise, so use caution throughout the trail. There is one spot in particular about halfway up the trail that stays muddy and rutted out; could possibly require 4wd. The trail narrows quite a bit towards the top, so some "trail striping" may occur depending on vehicle size. Scenic views of the Unaka Mountain range are visible towards the end of the trail. There are multiple spur trails along this route as well. Cell service is spotty so plan accordingly.

Photos of Irishman Branch

Irishman Branch
Irishman Branch

Difficulty

This is a mostly tame trail. The water bars could cause some issues for low-clearance vehicles. Shallow mud holes will be possible along the way.

Technical Rating

3

Status Reports

Darin Denton
Apr 27, 2025
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Open
Normal
Zach Wright
Apr 16, 2025
2015 Jeep Wrangler
Open
Normal
Pretty short and tame trail for the most part. A couple spurs I didn’t explore but I walked a way down one with my dog and just a couple ruts and narrow throughout. Pinstripes for sure. Only went through a couple rocky and muddy sections. Fun little trail. A burn definitely happened through a section on the hillside but it didn’t seem recent because there was already some new growth. It took two passes on the road before we found the trail. It starts down the side of someone’s house/property. It was just my fiancé, my dog, and myself. No one else out there. Will probably go back and checkout those spurs soon. Definitely just a 2 rating at most.
Justin Ray
Apr 12, 2025
2012 Jeep Wrangler
Open
Normal
Did the trail in 2wd without any problems and appeared to have been worked over on the lower end of the trail.
Isaac Vaughn
Mar 30, 2025
2022 Jeep Gladiator
Open
Rough/Deteriorated
Pretty easy trail for the most part, may need 4x4 in some sections, spur trails are very tight, main trail is tight towards the top. Expect a few pinstripes, no real need to air down, but be cautious and leave your Prius at home for this one.

Popular Trails

Starr Mountain Road 220

Starr Mountain Road 220

Total Miles
5.8
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Wi
Coalmont Trail 2 Blue

Coalmont Trail 2 Blue

Total Miles
1.3
Tech Rating
5 Moderate
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi
Laura Thompson Trail

Laura Thompson Trail

Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa
Cedar Forest Road

Cedar Forest Road

Total Miles
2.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Su

The onX Offroad Difference

onX Offroad combines trail photos, descriptions, difficulty ratings, width restrictions, seasonality, and more in a user-friendly interface. Available on all devices, with offline access and full compatibility with CarPlay and Android Auto. Discover what you’re missing today!