Nantahala Ranger District
The Nantahala Ranger District in National Forests in North Carolina (North Carolina) has 167 miles of motorized routes on the U.S. Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map — 123.7 miles of roads and 43.3 miles of trails across 112 designated routes. Vehicle access: ATV 43.3 mi · Motorcycle 41.9 mi · E-bike routes. Seasonal routes generally open Mar 15 and close Dec 31. Every route here is informational and derived from the MVUM data — it is not a legal document; carry and follow the district's official Motor Vehicle Use Map. Download the routes as GPX for your GPS or riding app.
- Total motorized miles
- 167
- Roads
- 123.7 mi
- Trails
- 43.3 mi
- Year-round miles
- 83.2 mi
- Seasonal miles
- 83.8 mi
123.7 mi of roads · 43.3 mi of trails, across 112 designated routes on the Motor Vehicle Use Map.
Vehicle access
What the MVUM designates for each vehicle class in this district — open miles, route count and season. A blank designation means the class is not designated here; it is shown as such, never guessed. ATV, motorcycle and e-bike classes are highlighted.
| Vehicle class | Open miles | Routes | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core off-highway (OHV) | |||
| ATV | 43.3 | 46 | Varies by route |
| Motorcycle / dirt bike | 41.9 | 42 | Apr 1 – Dec 15 |
| Other wheeled OHV | 41.9 | 28 | Apr 1 – Dec 15 |
| Wider OHV (over 50 inches) | |||
| 4WD > 50" | — | — | Not designated |
| 2WD > 50" | — | — | Not designated |
| Tracked OHV > 50" | — | — | Not designated |
| Other OHV > 50" | — | — | Not designated |
| Narrow OHV (under 50 inches) | |||
| Tracked OHV < 50" | — | — | Not designated |
| Other OHV < 50" | — | — | Not designated |
| E-bikes | |||
| E-bike Class 1 | 0 | 15 | Apr 1 – Dec 15 |
| E-bike Class 2 | 0 | 15 | Apr 1 – Dec 15 |
| E-bike Class 3 | 0 | 15 | Apr 1 – Dec 15 |
| Road-legal / licensed vehicles | |||
| Passenger vehicle | 123.7 | 66 | Varies by route |
| High-clearance vehicle | 123.7 | 66 | Varies by route |
| Truck | 123.7 | 66 | Varies by route |
| Bus | 123.7 | 66 | Varies by route |
| Motorhome | 123.7 | 66 | Varies by route |
Seasons
Of the 167 motorized miles here, about 83.2 miles are open year-round and 83.8 miles are seasonal — the seasonal window generally runs from 03/15 to 12/31 (MM/DD). Each vehicle class can carry its own season; see the access matrix above, and always confirm current status on the official Motor Vehicle Use Map.
Download the routes (GPX)
Load these into your GPS unit or riding app (onX, Gaia, Avenza and most handhelds read GPX).
Named routes
Show the 68 named routes in this district
Named routes on the MVUM and whether ATV and motorcycle use is designated on each. This is a per-district reference, not a separate page per route. Use the filter to find a route.
| BLACK MOUNTAIN | ✓ | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| BLANTON BRANCH | ✓ | · |
| BUCK KNOB | ✓ | ✓ |
| DEEP GAP | ✓ | ✓ |
| HEMLOCK RIDGE | ✓ | ✓ |
| LOCUST GAP | ✓ | ✓ |
| LOCUST GAP CONNECTOR | ✓ | ✓ |
| PARKER KNOB CONNECTOR | ✓ | ✓ |
| RAIL LINE WAY | ✓ | ✓ |
| SAWMILL BOTTOMS | ✓ | ✓ |
| SUNSET CONNECTOR | ✓ | ✓ |
| SUNSET RIDGE | ✓ | ✓ |
| SUNSET RIDGE CONNECTOR | ✓ | · |
| UPPER WAYEHUTTA CREEK | ✓ | ✓ |
| WAYEHUTTA LOOP | ✓ | ✓ |
| ANDY GAP | · | · |
| ARROWOOD GLADE | · | · |
| BALL CREEK | · | · |
| BEACHERTOWN | · | · |
| BEASLEY CREEK | · | · |
| BIRD FALLS | · | · |
| BOARDTREE | · | · |
| BREEDLOVE | · | · |
| BROWN CREEK | · | · |
| CHARLEY BR | · | · |
| CHESTNUT ORCHARD BR | · | · |
| COLD SPRINGS GAP | · | · |
| CONNELLY CR | · | · |
| COWEE BALD | · | · |
| DIRTY JOHN SHOOTING RG | · | · |
| DRYMAN FORK | · | · |
| FED COVE | · | · |
| FEREBEE MEMORIAL | · | · |
| FLAT BR ACCESS | · | · |
| GUNTER GAP | · | · |
| HEADQUARTERS SYSTEM | · | · |
| JARRETT CREEK | · | · |
| JONES CREEK | · | · |
| KIMSEY CREEK GROUP CAMP | · | · |
| LEE CREEK | · | · |
| LOCUST TREE | · | · |
| LONG BRANCH | · | · |
| NANTAHALA LAUNCH | · | · |
| ONION MTN | · | · |
| PARTRIDGE RIDGE | · | · |
| PUMPKINTOWN | · | · |
| RAINBOW SPRINGS | · | · |
| RAY BRANCH | · | · |
| SHINGLETREE BRANCH | · | · |
| SHOPE FORK | · | · |
| SHUT IN GAP | · | · |
| STANDING INDIAN | · | · |
| STANDING INDIAN LOOP B | · | · |
| STANDING INDIAN LOOP C | · | · |
| STANDING INDIAN LOOP D | · | · |
| STANDING INDIAN LOOP E | · | · |
| STANDING INDIAN LOOP A | · | · |
| STD. INDIAN PICNIC LOOP | · | · |
| SWAIN COUNTY LANDFILL | · | · |
| TUNI GAP | · | · |
| UPPER NANTAHALA | · | · |
| WAYAH BALD | · | · |
| WAYAH OFFICE | · | · |
| WAYAH OFFICE PARKING | · | · |
| WILLIS COVE | · | · |
| WINDING STAIRS | · | · |
| WINESPRGS WHITEOAK | · | · |
| YOUNCE CREEK | · | · |
Data: U.S. Forest Service, Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) Motor Vehicle Use Map — Roads (layer 1) and Trails (layer 2), retrieved 2026-07-11. A work of the U.S. Government, public domain (17 U.S.C. §105). State assignment: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb state boundaries.
This page is a searchable summary of the Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map data — it is not the official MVUM and not a legal document. Route designations, closures and conditions change. The controlling document is the district's official Motor Vehicle Use Map: carry it and follow posted signs when you ride.
Data vintage: USFS EDW MVUM, retrieved 2026-07-11.
Nearby districts
The six nearest ranger districts by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-forest and cross-state neighbours included — for planning a wider trip.
| District | Forest | Total miles | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheoah Ranger District | National Forests in North Carolina, NC | 86.6 | 42 km |
| Andrew Pickens Ranger District | Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests, SC | 121.3 | 50 km |
| Tusquittee Ranger District | National Forests in North Carolina, NC | 151.3 | 50 km |
| Chattooga River Ranger District | Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, GA | 16.8 | 60 km |
| Pisgah Ranger District | National Forests in North Carolina, NC | 87 | 60 km |
| Tellico Ranger District | Cherokee National Forest, TN | 143.1 | 69 km |
Frequently asked questions
- Can you ride an ATV in the Nantahala Ranger District?
- Yes. The MVUM designates ATV use on about 43.3 miles across 46 routes here (varies by route). Confirm on the district's official Motor Vehicle Use Map before you ride.
- How many miles of motorized routes are in the Nantahala Ranger District?
- 167 miles total — 123.7 miles of roads and 43.3 miles of trails, across 112 designated routes on the Forest Service MVUM.
- Is this the official Motor Vehicle Use Map?
- No. This page is an informational, searchable view of the MVUM route data. It is not a legal document. The controlling document is the district's official MVUM — always carry and follow it.
- Are the routes open year-round?
- Partly. About 83.2 miles are open year-round and 83.8 miles are seasonal (typically open Mar 15 to Dec 31). Each vehicle class can have its own season — see the access matrix above.
More in North Carolina
See every ranger district in National Forests in North Carolina, browse all North Carolina national-forest routes, or read the methodology behind these figures. New to MVUMs? Start with what a Motor Vehicle Use Map is.