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Hiking, Biking & Equestrian Trails in the Cherokee National Forest (Ocoee District)

The Ocoee Ranger District is the southernmost district within the expansive Cherokee National Forest in the southeastern corner of Tennessee. This district offers camping, boating, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, rafting, kayaking, picnicking, and swimming. The district contains Chilhowee Recreation Area, Rock Creek Gorge Scenic Area, Little Frog Wilderness Area, Big Frog Wilderness Area, and Cohutta Wilderness Area.

 

Check out this list of the trails located within the Cherokee National Forest – Ocoee District in Southeast Tennessee. (Trail lengths are one way.)

 

Benton MacKaye Trail – FS Trail 2. Length: 100 miles in CNF. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only. Access trail at several places: Ocoee #2-Thunder Rock; Kimsey Highway; Lost Creek; Childer’s Creek; Big Bend; and Hwy 68 near Coker Creek. Crosses TN border at Double Spring Gap GA and Slickrock Creek NC. Length of entire trail 300 miles – From Springer Mountain in Georgia to Davenport Gap in the Smoky Mountains National Park – through Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina.  View / Print Benton-MacKaye Trail                                               For more information visit www.bmta.org 

 

Conasauga River Trail – FS Trail 61. Length: 4.6 miles. Rated: Easy. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorized use and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Blue Ridge Trail – FS Trail 62. Length: 2.9 miles. Rated: Easy/Moderate. Hiking and equestrian. Motorized use and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Big Frog Trail – FS Trail 64. Length: 5.6 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Licklog Trail – FS Trail 65. Length: 5.4 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Wolf Ridge Trail – FS Trail 66. Length: 4.5 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Grassy Gap Trail – FS Trail 67. Length: 4.5 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Big Creek Trail – FS Trail 68. Length: 4.1 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Fork Ridge Trail – FS Trail 69. Length: 1.9 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Rough Creek Trail – FS Trail 70. Length: 2.9 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Yellow Stand Lead Trail – FS Trail 73. Length: 2.3 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Caney Branch Trail – FS Trail 74. Length: 3.5 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Sylco Trail – FS Trail 75. Length: 11.0 miles. Rated: Easy. Shared Use Trail – Hiking, Mountain Biking, and Equestrian.

Dry Pond Lead Trail – FS Trail 76. Length: 4.5 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Scenic Spur Loop – FS Trail 78. Length: 1.6 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

 

Chilhowee Mountain Bike Trail System – Located at Chilhowee Mountain Recreation Area in the Cherokee National Forest. A network of interconnecting trails. Trails are designated as multiple use trails for Hiking and Mountain Biking. In the Cherokee National Forest, bikers are to yield to all other trail users. $3 fee per day use.

McKamy Lake Trail – FS Trail 72 – Length: 0.3 mile. Rated: Easy. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Rim Rock Trail – FS Trail 77 – Length: 0.5 mile. Rated: Easy. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Clear Creek Trail – FS Trail 79 – Length: 5.4 miles. Rated: Difficult. Mountain Biking and Hiking. One of the most challenging trails in the Chilhowee Mountain Trails System.

Rim Rock Spur Trail – FS Trail 84. Length: 0.5 mile. Rated: Easy. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Slick Rock Trail (Naked Widow Loop) – FS Trail 85. Length: 6.2 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Clemmer Spur Trail – FS Trail 86. Length: 1.4 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Forest Walk Trail – FS Trail 130. Length: 0.4 mile. Rated: Easy. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Benton Falls Trail – FS Trail 131. Length: 1.5 miles. Rated: Easy. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Azalea Trail – FS Trial 140. Length: 2.0 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Arbutus Trail – FS Trail 141. Length: 0.7 mile. Rated: Easy. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Red Leaf Trail – FS Trail 144. Length: 0.2 mile. Rated Easy. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

Clemmer Trail – FS Trail 302. Length: 4.3 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Biking and Hiking.

 

Oswald Dome Trail – FS Trail 80. Length: 3.5 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Smith Mountain – FS Trail 81. Length: 3.5 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking, Mountain Biking, Equestrians, and Motorcycle.

Unicoi Trail – FS Trail 82. Length: 5.8 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking, Mountain Biking, Equestrians and Motorcycle.

Unicoi Mountain Trail – FS Trail 83. Length: 3.7 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Chestnut Mountain Trail – FS Trail 104. Length: 3.8 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking and Equestrians. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Cooper Gap – FS Trail 119. Length: 7.6 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Starr Mountain Horse Trail – FS Trail 120. Length: 3.5 miles. Rated: Easy. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Bullet Creek Horse Trail – FS Trail 121. Length: 3.0 miles. Rated: Easy. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Burkett Ivins Horse Trail – FS Trail 122. Length: 0.6 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Yellow Creek Trail – FS Trail 123. Length: 1.7 miles. Rated: Easy. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Bullet Creek Spur – FS Trail 124. Length: 0.6 mile. Rated: Easy. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Rock Creek Trail – FS Trail 125. Length: 5.4 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Hogback Horse Trail – FS Trail 126. Length: 4.0 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Hogback Spur Trail – FS Trail 127. Length: 1.5. Rated: Moderate. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

Hemp Top Trail – FS Trail 145. Length: 5.0. Rated: Difficult. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited.

 

John Muir NRT – FS Trail 152. Length: 20.0 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only. This trail follows the route said to have been taken, in 1867, by Sierra Club founder, John Muir, during his travels from Kentucky to Florida. It follows the Hiwassee State Scenic River, providing beautiful views of the river. The section from Childer’s Creek to Big Bend, 3 miles and rated as easy, is known for its wide assortment of wildflowers.

 

Fisherman Trail – FS Trail 167. Length: 1.4 miles. Rated: Easy. Hiking Only.

Lowry Falls Trail – FS Trail 168. Length: 0.3 mile. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Coker Creek Trail – FS Trail 183. Length: 3.2 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Turtletown Falls Trail – FS Trail 185. Length: 3.8 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Star Mountain Extension Trail – FS Trail 189. Length: 1.7 miles. Rated: Easy. Hiking Only.

Starr Mountain Trail – FS Trail 190. Length: 1.7 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

Gee Creek Trail – FS Trail 191. Length 1.9 miles (dead-end trail). Rated: Easy – Moderate. Hiking Only.

Lakeview Loop Trail – FS Trail 300. Length: 0.3 mile. Rated: Easy. Hiking Only.

Pondview Loop Trail – FS Trail 301. Length: 0.4 mile. Rated: easy. Hiking Only.

West Fork Trail – FS Trail 303. Length: 3.9 miles. Rated: Moderate. Sections of trail may be used by Mountain Bikes.

Beech Bottom Trail – FS Trail 304. Length: 0.3 mile in TN. Rated: Moderate. This trail goes into Georgia, length of entire trail is 4.0 miles. Hiking Only.

Thunder Rock Trail – FS Trail 305. Length: 1.2 miles. Rated: Moderate. Hiking Only.

 

Tanasi Mountain Bike Trail System – Located at the Ocoee Whitewater Center, this trail system has it all with its 30 miles of trails. From an easy 1.5 mile hike on the Rhododendron Trail to a screaming 1.5 mile mountain bike ride on the Thunder Rock Express.

River Loop Spur Trail – FS Trail 329. Length: 0.3 mile. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Boyd’s Gap Trail – FS Trail 331. Length: 0.7 mile. Rated: Difficult. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Rhododendron Trail – FS Trail 332. Length: 1.6 miles. Rated: Easy. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Old Copper Road Trail – FS Trail 333. Length: 2.1 miles. Rated: Easy. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Bear Paw Trail – FS Trail 334. Length: 1.5 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Chestnut Mountain Bike Trail – FS Trail 335. Length: 6.2 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Riverview Trail – FS Trail 336. Length: 3.3 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Bypass Trail – FS Trail 337. Length: 0.9 mile. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Quartz Loop Spur Trail – FS Trail 338. Length: 0.1 mile. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Quartz Loop Trail – FS Trail 339. Length: 1.8 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Thunder Rock Express Trail – FS Trail 340. Length: 1.5 miles. Rated: Difficult. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

Brush Creek Trail – FS Trail 341. Length: 6.9 miles. Rated: Moderate. Mountain Bike and Hiking. Motorcycles and Equestrian are prohibited.

 

For more information, contact:

Cherokee National Forest – Ocoee/Hiwassee District Office:

3171 Hwy. 64, Benton, TN  3737007

Ph. 423-338-3300

 

Thanks to the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association for putting together this comprehensive list of trails.

 
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