Those living in Tennesse are spoiled for choice with places to ride their dirt bike. Literally – there are just so many good trails.
These are spots just begging to be discovered on 2 wheels, so let’s not waste any more precious time watching yet another YouTuber braaap their way through the mountains.
Best Dirt Bike Trails Tennesse
Here at Frontaer, we love the sound of a thumping 4-stroke just as much as the next rider. What we love more is discovering new and exciting places to ride dirt bikes.
We’ve essentially done the research so you don’t have to. We eliminated areas that were too centered around MX riding as we’re sure you’re after forest and enduro trails in the state.
We see these dirt bike trails as the best that Tennesse has to offer:
1. Ride Royal Blue ATV Resort and Campground
We love family-orientated dirt bike parks and this has to be the best in Tennesse, if not the entire country! With tracks marked for difficulty, you can feel safe knowing that there isn’t much that your kids need to overcome on some select sections of trail. There are a few waterfalls to make things interesting plus a few hill climbs to test your skills.
When you’re done with the day then the family will appreciate the amenties on offer. We’re talking a proper resort here with RV sites, cabins, a restaurant, volleyball court and recreation room. You can even have a fire if you want things to be more primitive!
2. Doe Mountain Recreation Area
Doe Mountain is seriously an epic riding spot with many multi-use trails to choose. This is the type of place where you’ll be stopping often to take photos so bring a high quality camera long. These single track riding areas are hardpacked yet can get muddy after heavy rainfall as it takes a while to evaporate.
You can’t camp with your dirt bike at Doe Mountain though there are several nearby camp sites including R&D Campground which we mention below this guide. It’s also good to check out some of the local cabin rentals in the region if your other half isn’t keen to rough it out for a few nights in a tent.
3. Stinking Creek Campground
Head into the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area with your dirt bike and you’ll be surprised to see what’s on offer. There are very long trail loops which take you past abandoned mine sites and remote waterfalls that are untouched by the kids of Instagram.
If you are going here, it’s best to reserve 3 to 4 days to really experience everything otherwise you’ll miss out. Back at the campground you’ll find full services at the pull through sites as well as firewood and ice on offer. You’ll need a TWRA Permit which is best done by purchasing online prior to entry.
4. Prentice Cooper State Forest
Who doesn’t love riding their dirt bike in the State Forest? Of all the forests in the State of Tennesse, our pick goes to Prentice Cooper. There are many miles to explore and the views of the Tennesse river are to die for! The best spot to park your RV or 5th wheeler would be Hunters Creek Station as this place is bigger and greater heigh clerances, though Davis Pond is alright if you have your dirt bikes in a truck.
This one is highly rated by locals and those in the surrounding regions too. Therre really is something for everyone with tight technical single track mixed with open areas like the one above.
5. Adventure Off Road Park
There are 120 miles of pristine forest trails to explore on 2 wheels at Adventure Off Road Park. It’s in South Pittsburg, TN and it’s best to stay overnight here to really see everything. All vehicles are welcome here and shower facilities are provided. It’s only open Friday > Sunday and it’s best to book or call ahead of schedule to ensure there aren’t any weather-related closures.
If you do want to ride during the week when it’s much quieter, then you can do a group booking with enough people. Sometimes the Tennesse dirt bike riders club organizes events here. For updates, check out their Facebook group.
6. The Ridges at Royal Blue
Let’s say you want to do North Cumberland WMA but don’t want to stay at Stinking Creek Campground. The best alternative is The Ridges at Royal Blue which offers direct trail access. You’ll get excellent views of the Appalachian Mountains among other great sites.
The Ridges is actually not too far from Ride Royal Blue Resort and some people get confused, but they are two very different complexes. This one has only RV sites but no cabins to hire, but does it matter with epic views like this? Certainly it’s the stuff that you’ll be wanting to show off on social media.
7. Aetna Mountain Adventures
Aetna Mountain Adventurers in Marion County hasn’t been open for long but has already created a reputation as a place where thrills and spills are easily found. Popular with 4×4 enthusiasts, dirt bike riders can find more than 1,000 acres here with miles and miles of trails going in many directions. You’ll need to pay a membership fee though the cheapest way in is to find an existing member and then you’ll only need to pay the day-use fee.
8. Belle Ridge Retreat
This place based in the Cumberland Mountains is so crisp that you probably don’t want to see it on a noisy 4-stroke, and instead choose to hike it. On second thoughts…riding is just so much more fun! That is until you realize that there’s a 20-mile speed limit here which is disappointing yet understandable. We’ve included this for the ADV community rather than dirt bikers.
There are miles and miles of world-class forest trails which take you past caves, waterfalls and river systems. These are best done by hiring a golf caddy. Back at the Belle Ridge Retreat, you’ll find more than 50 RV sites which are spacious and more than 30 tent sites (with shower facilities) and a dozen cabins. This place would be perfect if they allowed dirt bikes as they are currently banned, but a great overnight camp to explore the rest of the region by 2 wheels. Many dual-sport riders stop by here for the shower facilities.
9. American Rebel Mud Park
Our tip is to spend the morning seeing the trails on 2 wheels, and when you’re done, return back to camp to see some real spills and laugh at the carnage and heavy use of vehicle recovery straps. This mud park attracts dozens of 4×4’s who are keen to show off their skills and thumping buggies in the mud pits.
Children are welcome here with a kids-sized track that’s perfect for helping them hone in their skills. Then again, they’ll probably want to simply watch the guys drifting around on the mud tracks. There is a big wash down bay as you would expect and an epic campground with everything that you need.
10. Trails End Motosports Park
Did someone say 600 miles of epic dirt bike trails systems in the State of Tennesse? Yep! You’ve caught our attention. You can bring all your gear here and spend a few days really seeing all the trails here. There is a store on-site as well as a camp ground, RV dump station, shower facilities and ATV rentals. You’ll need a TWRA Permit if you’re riding the ATV trails.
We recommend bringing some extra fuel cans and leaving them back at camp locked up, otherwise you just won’t get a chance to see it all. The trails are marked for difficulty and serve all types of riders.
11. R and D Campground
You’ll take at least 2 days to see all the trails at R and D Campground over at Doe Mountain. The campground is great but the trails are even better! Flat terrain for the beginners as well as some hill climb sections and enduro loops galore. It’s mostly hard-packed though there are some loose sections too.
Kids are welcome here and they’ll appreciate the swimming pool and playground. It’s more of a resort than a playground actually, but hey, at least mum will be kept happy!
12. Windrock Park
We’ve definitely left one of Tennesse’s best dirt bike spots until last! With more than 70,000 acres of epic trails to ride, you could easily spend all week here. It’s north of Oliver Springs and draws in dirt bike riders from all parts of North America. Some even spend their 2 weeks of vacation leave here and it doesn’t surprise us one bit – just look at the views!
There are various names for Windrock Park which include Coal Creak, Toddy Mountain, Wolf Ridge and Patterson Mountain Hannah Top. After all, this places traverses so much area. You can camp here overnight with your RV, tent or go with a more comfortable experience with an ensuite cabin. There are showers on site and heaps of people come here daily, so it’s best to book ahead.
Getting Started
A couple of notable entries that we missed are Wheelin’ in the Country Inc Off Road Park and Wooly’s Offroad. These spots are really popular and it’s best to book a few days ahead to ensure you don’t miss out.
Now it’s clear to see that Tennesse is spoiled for choice with these epic spots to ride dirt bikes. From private property to State Forests, it’s obvious why people travel in from out of state quite often.
As you’ve probably noted, many of these riding spots are best for those camping overnight. They are just massive and you just won’t have time to see everything otherwise. The ADV community also loves Tennesse because of the stunning scenery and the acceptance of OHV on government land.
Do you know what time it is now? It’s time to get out there and explore more of your own backyard!