UNICOI, Tenn., Feb. 26, 2024 — Cherokee National Forest officials announced the annual schedule for reopening seasonal roads to motorized vehicles on the northern portion of the forest. Access will return on March 15 to specific roads with seasonal limitations in place to protect wildlife habitat, decrease wildlife disturbance, reduce road maintenance costs, and for public safety.
Seasonal road openings are from March 15 to Dec. 20, 2024, on specific roads in Cocke, Greene, Washington, Unicoi, Carter, Sullivan, and Johnson counties. Access is restored to some of these roads to provide motorized access for various uses including hunting, and other activities.
Roads may be reopened later than scheduled due to poor road conditions brought on by extreme weather conditions or fire danger. These weather conditions may include freezing/thawing, extreme drought, fire danger or storm damage. In some cases, roads sustain severe damage from vehicle use and are temporary closed to protect the various resources.
For additional information, contact the following Forest Service offices: Unaka Ranger Station, Greeneville, TN – Phone: 423-638-4109; Watauga Ranger Station, Unicoi, TN – Phone: 423-735-1500. For road designations, please reference the Motor Vehicle User Map (MVUM) for additional information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/cherokee/maps-pubs
Cherokee National Forest
Unaka and Watauga Ranger Districts
Road Openings and Disrupted Access for Spring/Summer 2024
Spring Road Openings
Roads open March 15, 2024 – December 20, 2024
Greene County
Rough Branch – NFSR 422A
Little Paint Creek – NFSR 31B
Old Forge (Jennings Creek) – NFSR 331
Shad Road – NFSR 422 – Dead end at MP 2.6 due to road failure. No access to Shad Road (NFSR 422)
Round Knob – NFSR 88
Upper Rough Branch – NFSR 93E/93C – Open to second gate
Firescald (Kennedy Cabin) – NFSR 358 – Open to boulders blocking road and second gate. No vehicle in fields.
Carter County
Frog Level – NFSR 50F
Little Pond Mountain – NFSR 6034
Mill Creek/Holston Mountain – NFSR 56/202
Bitter End – NFSR 293 – Open to second gate
White Rock – NFSR 5314 – Not recommended for highway legal vehicles until repairs are complete
Cocke County
Wolf Creek – NFSR 96-1
Big Clifty – NFSR 404
Meadow Creek Mountain – NFSR 142
Weaver Bend Road – NFSR 209C
Rattlesnake – NFSR 3242
Johnson County
Gouge Tract – NFSR 602101
Sullivan County
Little Oak – NFSR 87G
Unicoi County
Irishman’s Branch – NFSR 313
Little Mountain – NFSR 359
Unaka Mountain Road – NFSR 230
Long Branch/Dark Hollow – NFSR 4365.
Rich Mountain – NFSR 190.
Washington County
Briar Creek (Pinnacle Mountain) – NFSR 188 – NFSR 188 to double gate at upper parking area.
Horse Cove Gap – NFSR 5352.
Buffalo Mountain ATV Parking Lot.
Roads open March 15 – May 17, 2024
Carter County
Piney Grove – NFSR 53351 – Open to second gate.
Johnson County
Parks Branch – NFSR 6049 – 1.0 mile to second gate.
Temporary Access Disrupted
Carter County
Cedar Gap – NFSR 293A – Temporary closed for timber sale.
George Creek – NFSR 53301 – Temporary closed for timber sale.
Griffith Branch – NFSR 5081 – Temporary closed for timber sale.
Johnson County
Sink Mountain – NFSR 298 – Temporary closed until repairs are complete.
Sullivan County
Camp Tom Howard – NFSR 6099 – Temporary closed for timber sale.
Fishdam NE – NFSR 87B – Temporary closed for timber sale.
Recommended Avoidance to Highway Legal Vehicles due to Weather Damage
Cocke County
Rocky Top – NFSR 249 – Not recommended/impassable for vehicle usage until repairs are complete
Chestnut Ridge – NFSR 22501 – Not recommended for highway legal vehicles until repairs are complete
Brown Gap – NFSR 2250 – Not recommended for highway legal vehicles until repairs are complete
Hall Top (From MP 4.06 to 7.28) – NFSR 207 – Not recommended for highway legal vehicles until repairs are complete
The following National Forest System Roads are not scheduled to be opened due to resource or storm damage:
Carter County
Cherry Flats – NFSR 50A
Johnson County
Whetstone Branch Road – NFSR 124
Sullivan County
Dogwood Bench – NFSR 4431
Big Creek – NFSR 87C
Unicoi County
Rocky Branch – NFSR 4343
Martin Creek – NFSR 410
Source: Cherokee National Forest
