Tennessee Off-Road Trails

Located in the northeast part of Windrock Park, Trail 51 takes you to a breathtaking overlook named Panther Rock. This namesake rock feature overlooking the surrounding mountains and Three Forks Hollow is the perfect offroad trail for a lunch picnic or a romantic dinner at sunset. Whether you visit for the views or the Jeep Badge of Honor designation, Panther Rock is a "must-do" Tennessee offroad trail.

Located on the far west end of Windrock Park, Windrock 26 is a rocky and bouldery trek up the scenic Bletchers Creek. With close proximity to Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, this trail cries out to the adventurous driver seeking heart-pounding thrills. Whether attempting to check off your Jeep Badge of Honor or just hoping to further your offroad skills, Windrock 26 is a must-do trail.

Windrock 16 is one of Windrock's longest trails and is a continuous onslaught of varying obstacles that will test your driving abilities, your nerves, and your group's attrition. This punishing trail offers deep off-camber trenches, big rocks, and slippery hill climbs that await those with the courage to take on a lengthy adventure. This trail rewards the battle-weary with a spectacular waterfall and scenic views to top off an adrenaline-filled trail ride.

Located within Windrock Park, Windrock 22 is one of the first trails you will encounter as you leave the parking area. This is a great trail to get your feet wet right away and tackle a variety of obstacles, including steep climbs, creek crossings, mud holes, rock climbs, and boulder fields. If you want to skip the boring greens and start your day right away with great 4-wheel action, don't blink, or you might drive right by this gem.

Winding its way along the southern ridge of Windrock Mountain, G1 is the perfect access road to allow you to choose your adventure. With numerous options, drivers can keep to a 2WD adventure or take one of the many, much more challenging trails in Windrock Park or anything in between. A few vantage points break through the trees occasionally, allowing you to enjoy the expansive views of the countless ridges and valleys that make up this part of Tennessee. Whether you use G1 for access or adventure, this will be a great addition to any itinerary.

One wouldn't think that only 27 miles in the same forest would warrant much of a chance of scenery, but this trail is a rarity. The beginning along the Conasauga River is lush green with Beech and Maple trees towering over the Flame Azaleas and Chinese Bush Clovers. As you begin to climb, Eastern White Pine start to take over with the floor opening up. Just like that, you enter into a forest of Rhododendrons with no view in either direction. Along the eastern side toward Chestnut Ridge, large vines swing from tree to tree, giving the feel of being in a true rainforest. Throughout its entirety, you will find incredible camping opportunities as well. Not enough can be said for trail that will take you by surprise.

Citico Creek Road is a well-maintained gravel road that follows along the beautiful crystal-clear waters of Citico Creek through the heavily wooded Cherokee National Forest. There are multiple designated primitive campsites and a couple of established campgrounds along this road.

Running along the southeastern ridge of Redoak Mountain, G50 is a mild 4WD trail providing access to the eastern side of Windrock Park and trails such as Windrock 89 and the famous Jeep Badge of Honor trail Panther Rock. G50 also offers impressive views over Walden Ridge, Pine Ridge, and Dutch Valley, among many other hills and valleys in the distance. Whether you are running G50 as access or for pleasure, stop at the viewpoint and enjoy the greenery that Tennessee is known for.

Windrock Park is full of trails for all skill levels. Trails 2 and 10 make for a good intro into moderate trails, with all obstacles providing opportunities for the beginner driver to gain experience. Winding down from Windrock Mountain to Horseshoe Ridge, users only glimpse a tiny bit of what Windrock Park offers. Once the journey is complete, it is simple to return to the park and continue on an epic adventure.

Cold Springs Road is your quick access from I-40 and the Harmon Den Area into the Cherokee National Forest. It is a main connector road that gives access to several other trails and routes. It runs almost entirely along the beautiful Cold Springs Creek and is plentiful for dispersed camping locations. It is suitable for any vehicle.

This is a straight-through, one-way trail near Townsend, Tennessee. To get to this trail, you must enter the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and take the Cades Cove Loop Road. Vehicle access to this trail is closed on Wednesdays. This trail is a gentle drive through the mountain forest with very nice overlooks that can be traversed by any 2WD vehicle.

Conasauga Creek is a beautiful drive along and through the stream just south of Tellico Plains. Set in the dense woodlands of the Cherokee National Forest, the trail runs from near Watertrough Hollow to Epperson crossing just below Bakers Grave Mountain. The trail has multiple water crossings. Keep a lookout for the waterfalls. There aren't any campsites along this route.

Windrock Park is full of trails from easy to difficult to please any user. Trail 89 and G66 make for a relatively easy way to exit the park, with a few minor obstacles to keep your attention. The canopy of trees breaks occasionally, giving you glimpses of the sky while you wind your way down the lush forested mountainside that is Windrock Mountain.

Set in the heavily wooded Cherokee National Forest, Doublecamp-Jake Best road winds through the deep hollow of Doublecamp Creek until you reach the ridge along Salt Spring Mountain. It then descends back down along Jake Best Creek. The trail begins and ends on Citico Creek Road. There are multiple dispersed camping sites along this route.

Leading into the Big Frog Wilderness of the Cherokee National Forest, Big Frog Road is an unmaintained trail guiding users in over 1,000 feet of elevation gain nearly to the top of Chestnut Mountain. This is a great trail to access many hiking opportunities that are offered in the area, including the impressive Hemp Top Trail with a 2,000-foot elevation gain to the top of Big Frog Mountain at over 4,000 feet! Although nothing technically difficult, it is worth noting that there are scattered rocky patches requiring drivers' attention. There are a few quaint camping options along this trail as well, and you will likely encounter fewer people than the more popular trails nearby.

Bald River Road is an easily traveled gravel road in the Cherokee National Forest that heads west from the Tellico River. Crossing Basin Gap, you can turn left onto Waucheesi Mountain Road to an amazing viewpoint. Continuing west over the gap will take you to the Sixmile Creek area. The only camping available on this road is the Holly Flats Campground.

Hall Top Spur is a main thru road for the area. It is well-maintained and has a good amount of incline/decline, but any vehicle can drive this road without issue. Incidentally, the family name "Hall" dates back to the area in the 1700s. There are no camping opportunities on this road.

Waucheesi Mountain Road is an out-and-back route in the Cherokee National Forest that climbs to an open mountaintop meadow with an incredible 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains. There are dispersed campsites along the trail, but the weather conditions can drastically differ at the top and bottom of the mountain. Choose wisely.

Fire towers in the area were typically built in the early 1930s to mid-1930s, and many of them no longer exist. Still existing, however, is the Hall Top Fire Tower. However, you would risk your well-being by trying to take the dilapidated stairs to the top. The road leading up is uneventful, with a few rocky sections. Turning the corner to the tower, you are more inclined to see the modern-day cell array before you get your eyes on the tower. From the base of the tower, there are no views. There's no camping along the road.