Trail Overview
Rocky Branch is a short, intermediate/difficult off- highway vehicle trail within the North Cumberland off- highway vehicle area, descending steeply from south to north, losing about 850 feet of elevation over a mile. It’s a narrow and rutted track between overgrown bushes in a dense and shaded forest, covered in small loose rocks. The dirt is mixed with clay and can become very slippery when wet. The descent is deeply rutted, with big trenches on both sides of the trail, which will make it difficult for UTVs to straddle the ruts. The most difficult part is how steep it is, because it likely won’t be passable in the uphill direction if wet at all. It curves around the mountainside, with narrow segments and off-camber segments due to the uneven ruts. Part of the trail is trenched and dug out below the forest floor with limited width. There are a few slab rock layers in the hill that form short ledges.
Difficulty
This is rated as Most Difficult by the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. Conditions can change over time, especially in wetter months. It’s an upper intermediate/difficult trail mostly due to the steep grade, which can become impassable when wet. The trail is rutted and off-camber, but there aren’t any major rock ledges that make it even more advanced. Wider UTVs will need to use caution in narrow segments that may not be passable.
