Guides/Off-road trails/Georgia
Off-road trail13.4 midifficulty: difficult

Beasley Knob OHV Trail System

RegionGeorgiaAgencyU.S. Forest ServiceLast verified—
Beasley Knob OHV Trail System — off-road trail near Blairsville, Georgia, Georgia
Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, via Recreation.gov
Trail vitals6 facts
Length
13.4mi
Technical difficulty
Difficult
Direction
Loop
Vehicle
High-clearance 4WD on 33-inch tires handles most of the system; the rock garden obstacle needs 35-inch tires and careful line choice. The only Georgia public OHV system open to full-size vehicles wider than 50 inches; also open to ATVs and motorcycles. No bolted, studded, or chained tires.
Best months
Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov
Permit
Required
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Beasley Knob OHV Trail System runs 13.4 miles through Chattahoochee National Forest's Blue Ridge Ranger District, two miles east of Blairsville in Union County. Interconnecting dirt trails, rock hill climbs, and gravel forest roads link two trailheads, Satterfield and Blue Rock. It's the only OHV system on Georgia public land open to full-size vehicles wider than 50 inches, alongside ATVs and motorcycles.

Jeep's Badge of Honor program lists it as the state's one qualifying trail. The Forest Service rates most of the mileage difficult to most difficult; a rock garden section needs 35-inch tires, while 33s handle the rest in dry weather. Red Georgia clay turns slick fast after rain, which is why the district closes the trails until conditions dry out.

Hazards

Read before you go

Red Georgia clay is the trail's primary hazard. It holds up fine dry, but turns slick within minutes of rain, cutting traction on climbs and lengthening stopping distances on descents. The Forest Service closes the system after significant rain events for that reason, in addition to the standing January 1 through March 31 closure.

The rock garden section needs 35-inch tires and doesn't forgive a wrong line. Drivers running smaller tires should walk it first. Steep grades, off-camber turns, and loose rock show up through the rest of the network, and elevation changes come often enough that momentum control matters more than horsepower.

No bolted, studded, or chained tires are permitted. Trails are open sunrise to sunset only, with no exceptions for night riding. The system is shared with dirt bikes, ATVs, and UTVs, so blind corners deserve a slow approach. Summer afternoons in the Blue Ridge foothills bring thunderstorms with little warning. Drivers on the rock garden or a steep climb when one arrives should expect the clay to go slick fast. Call the Blue Ridge Ranger District (706-745-6928) before a visit to confirm current gate status; posted alerts on the forest's site have occasionally lagged actual conditions.

Location

13.4 mi · Off-road trail

Approx. location 34.897, -83.908

Current conditions

Live weather

Trail facts

5 fields
AgencyU.S. Forest Service
Nearest townBlairsville, Georgia
Websitewww.fs.usda.gov/r08/chattahoochee-oconee/recreation/beasley-knob-ohv-trail-system
ClosedJan, Feb, Mar
Approx. location34.897, -83.908

Getting there

Directions

Both trailheads start from the Blairsville Post Office on US 76/GA 515.

Satterfield Trailhead. From the post office, go east 0.7 mile. Turn right onto Windy Hill Road, a paved road. At 0.7 mile, where Windy Hill curves sharply left, continue straight onto a gravel road. After 0.1 mile, turn left onto Forest Service Road 851, a narrow gravel road, and continue 0.8 mile to the trailhead parking lot.

Blue Rock Trailhead. From the post office, go east 3.4 miles. Turn right just before two large propane tanks onto Rosemary Lane, Forest Service Road 93. Bear left at the first fork and right at the second. Follow the road 1.6 miles total to the parking lot at the end.

Both lots open onto the same interconnected trail network. The Blue Ridge Ranger District office, at 2042 Highway 515 West in Blairsville, sells day and annual passes and can confirm current gate status before the drive out.

Photos

2 photos

Photos · 2

Field notes

Getting Oriented

Georgia's national forest land carries little of the technical, full-size-vehicle-legal OHV terrain found in neighboring Tennessee or West Virginia. State law (Georgia House Bill 121) keeps multipurpose and low-speed off-highway vehicles off Forest Service roads, and most of Chattahoochee National Forest's other designated systems, including the 25-mile Houston Valley network near Dalton, cap vehicle width under 50 inches. That rules out trucks and Jeeps.

Beasley Knob is the exception. The Blue Ridge Ranger District built and maintains it as the forest's one OHV system open to full-size 4WD vehicles, and it's the only trail in Georgia that qualifies for Jeep's Badge of Honor program. It sits in Union County, two miles east of Blairsville, in the foothills of the southern Appalachians.

Trail Overview

The system covers 13.4 miles of interconnecting dirt trail, rock hill climbs, and gravel forest road, reached from two trailheads. Satterfield sits off Windy Hill Road and Forest Service Road 851; Blue Rock sits off Rosemary Lane, also known as Forest Service Road 93. The Blue Ridge Ranger District rates most of the mileage difficult to most difficult and recommends it for experienced drivers only.

A rock garden section is the main technical obstacle. It needs 35-inch tires and a deliberate line; the rest of the network is passable on 33s in dry weather. Grades run steep in both directions, with off-camber turns and loose rock mixed through the climbs and descents. The clay surface sheds traction fast once it's wet. That's why the district closes the trails after significant rain and through the winter, from January 1 through March 31.

Points of Interest

  • Rock garden. The system's main obstacle, and the reason most visiting Jeeps run 35-inch tires.
  • Two trailheads. Satterfield and Blue Rock give drivers a choice of entry points onto the same interconnected network.
  • Jeep Badge of Honor. The only Georgia trail listed in Jeep's own Badge of Honor program.

Where to Camp

Neither trailhead has a developed campground. Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area, about 10 miles south of Blairsville off US 19/129 and GA 180, has 31 Forest Service sites split across two loops on an 18-acre lake. Vogel State Park, roughly 11 miles south of Blairsville on US 19/129, adds developed sites, cabins, and a bathhouse. Dispersed camping is allowed elsewhere in the surrounding national forest under standard Forest Service rules, outside the trail corridor itself.

Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip

  • Buy a pass before arriving. It costs $5 per operator per day through the Recreation.gov activity pass or at the Blue Ridge Ranger District office, or $50 per year for an annual pass valid at six Georgia Forest Service OHV systems.
  • Call the ranger district (706-745-6928) ahead of a visit. Trails close after significant rain, and the district can confirm current gate status by phone.
  • Trails run sunrise to sunset only. Night riding isn't permitted.
  • No bolted, studded, or chained tires.
  • Expect company: dirt bikes, ATVs, and UTVs share the same network.
  • Carry the Blue Ridge Ranger District's Motor Vehicle Use Map. Not every forest-road junction leading to the trailheads is signed.

Fuel and Water

Neither trailhead has potable water or fuel. The Satterfield and Blue Rock lots offer parking only. The closest services, including gas stations, are in Blairsville, roughly two to four miles from either trailhead depending on route. Fill up and carry water before heading out. There's no station closer to the trail itself.

Nearby

Blairsville anchors the area with the closest gas, food, and lodging, two to four miles from either trailhead. Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest point at 4,784 feet, sits about 9 miles from town off GA 180 and Spur 180, with a paved overlook road and a short walk to the summit tower. Vogel State Park, 11 miles south of Blairsville on US 19/129, sits just past Neel Gap, where the Appalachian Trail crosses the highway at the Walasi-Yi Center. The park has a lake, cabins, and its own hiking trails. Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area, about 10 miles south of Blairsville, offers a smaller lake and a Forest Service campground in the same ranger district.

Frequently asked

Common questions

How difficult is Beasley Knob OHV Trail System?
Beasley Knob OHV Trail System is rated difficult. The route runs 13.4 miles.
What kind of vehicle do you need for Beasley Knob OHV Trail System?
High-clearance 4WD on 33-inch tires handles most of the system; the rock garden obstacle needs 35-inch tires and careful line choice. The only Georgia public OHV system open to full-size vehicles wider than 50 inches; also open to ATVs and motorcycles. No bolted, studded, or chained tires.
When is the best time to visit Beasley Knob OHV Trail System?
The best months are Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov. Avoid Jan, Feb, Mar.
Do you need a permit for Beasley Knob OHV Trail System?
Yes — a permit is required. It is managed by U.S. Forest Service — check the agency listing for current requirements and fees.

Resources

1 map · 1 link