Unaka Ranger District
The Unaka Ranger District in Cherokee National Forest (Tennessee) has 151.5 miles of motorized routes on the U.S. Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map — 140.5 miles of roads and 11 miles of trails across 92 designated routes. Vehicle access: ATV 6 mi · Motorcycle 6 mi · E-bike routes. Seasonal routes generally open Mar 15 and close Dec 15. 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
- 151.5
- Roads
- 140.5 mi
- Trails
- 11 mi
- Year-round miles
- 103.5 mi
- Seasonal miles
- 47.9 mi
140.5 mi of roads · 11 mi of trails, across 92 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 | 6 | 3 | Varies by route |
| Motorcycle / dirt bike | 6 | 3 | Varies by route |
| Other wheeled OHV | 6 | 3 | Varies by route |
| 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" | 6 | 3 | Varies by route |
| Other OHV < 50" | 6 | 3 | Varies by route |
| E-bikes | |||
| E-bike Class 1 | 0 | 1 | Year-round |
| E-bike Class 2 | 0 | 1 | Year-round |
| E-bike Class 3 | 0 | 1 | Year-round |
| Road-legal / licensed vehicles | |||
| Passenger vehicle | 140.5 | 90 | Varies by route |
| High-clearance vehicle | 140.5 | 90 | Varies by route |
| Truck | 140.5 | 90 | Varies by route |
| Bus | 140.5 | 90 | Varies by route |
| Motorhome | 140.5 | 90 | Varies by route |
Seasons
Of the 151.5 motorized miles here, about 103.5 miles are open year-round and 47.9 miles are seasonal — the seasonal window generally runs from 03/15 to 12/15 (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 72 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.
| BIG BUTT | ✓ | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| HORSE CREEK | ✓ | ✓ |
| BAR-B-Q PIT | · | · |
| BEAR BRANCH | · | · |
| BEAR BRANCH SPUR | · | · |
| BIG CLIFTY | · | · |
| BIG FILL | · | · |
| BRADLEY SHACK | · | · |
| BROWN GAP ROAD | · | · |
| BRUSH CREEK | · | · |
| BUBBLING SPRINGS | · | · |
| BUG BRANCH | · | · |
| CAMP CREEK | · | · |
| CEMETERY ROAD | · | · |
| CHESTNUT RIDGE ROAD | · | · |
| CHUCKEY MTN. | · | · |
| DEVILS KITCHEN | · | · |
| DEVILS KITCHEN BRANCH | · | · |
| DOAK/DAVIS ACCESS | · | · |
| DOGWOOD HOLLOW | · | · |
| DRY POND GAP | · | · |
| DUDLEY FALLS | · | · |
| FALLS | · | · |
| FED FORK | · | · |
| FIRESCALD | · | · |
| FRENCH BROAD CANOE ACCE* | · | · |
| GREENE MOUNTAIN | · | · |
| GREYSTONE | · | · |
| GREYSTONE SPUR | · | · |
| HALL TOP | · | · |
| HALL TOP SPUR | · | · |
| HORSE CR.CAMPGROUND | · | · |
| HORSE CR.PARKING | · | · |
| HORSE CR.PICNIC AREA | · | · |
| HOUSTON VALLEY PARKING | · | · |
| HOUSTON VALLEY REC.AREA | · | · |
| HURRICANE GAP | · | · |
| JENNINGS CREEK | · | · |
| KENNEDY CABIN | · | · |
| LITTLE PAINT CREEK | · | · |
| LOCUST THORN RIDGE ROAD | · | · |
| LOVE GAP | · | · |
| LOVE ROAD PICNIC | · | · |
| MEADOW CR.TOWER | · | · |
| MIDDLE ROAD | · | · |
| MILL ROCK HOLLOW | · | · |
| MOSES TURN PIC.AREA | · | · |
| MUDDY BRANCH | · | · |
| NAVE WAGON TRAIN LOOP | · | · |
| ODELL | · | · |
| OLD FDR 96 | · | · |
| OVERLOOK PARKING | · | · |
| PAINT CR. CAMPGROUND | · | · |
| PAINT CREEK | · | · |
| PAINT MOUNTAIN | · | · |
| PAINT POND | · | · |
| PAINT POND OVERFLOW | · | · |
| PT CR CAMP LOOP RT | · | · |
| RATTLESNAKE | · | · |
| ROCKY RIDGE | · | · |
| ROCKY TOP | · | · |
| ROCKY TOP SPUR | · | · |
| ROUGH BRANCH | · | · |
| ROUND MTN.REC.AREA | · | · |
| SHAD ROAD | · | · |
| UPPER PAINT CREEK | · | · |
| WADERS REC.AREA | · | · |
| WAGON TRAIN | · | · |
| WEAVER BEND | · | · |
| WEAVER BEND FIELDS | · | · |
| WOLF CREEK | · | · |
| YELLOW SPRINGS | · | · |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Ranger District | National Forests in North Carolina, NC | 68.8 | 18 km |
| Pisgah Ranger District | National Forests in North Carolina, NC | 87 | 67 km |
| Nantahala Ranger District | National Forests in North Carolina, NC | 167 | 93 km |
| Grandfather Ranger District | National Forests in North Carolina, NC | 182.2 | 95 km |
| Watauga Ranger District | Cherokee National Forest, TN | 86.9 | 98 km |
| Clinch Ranger District | George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, VA | 85.7 | 109 km |
Frequently asked questions
- Can you ride an ATV in the Unaka Ranger District?
- Yes. The MVUM designates ATV use on about 6 miles across 3 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 Unaka Ranger District?
- 151.5 miles total — 140.5 miles of roads and 11 miles of trails, across 92 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 103.5 miles are open year-round and 47.9 miles are seasonal (typically open Mar 15 to Dec 15). Each vehicle class can have its own season — see the access matrix above.
More in Tennessee
See every ranger district in Cherokee National Forest, browse all Tennessee national-forest routes, or read the methodology behind these figures. New to MVUMs? Start with what a Motor Vehicle Use Map is.