Buffalo Mountain ATV Trail - Johnson City, TN
Posted by: 
vhasler
N 36° 14.710 W 082° 22.552
17S E 376377 N 4012019
Ridgeline ride of Buffalo Mountain in Unicoi County. Reaches Pinnacle Mountain firetower which was converted in 2011 to an observation platform.
Waymark Code: WMCT8W
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 10/10/2011
Views: 5
Forest Service Trail #29 located in Cherokee National Forest, Nolichucky/Unaka Ranger District.
Official webpage describes 13 mile linear trail is open sunrise to sunset. $5 day use fee per haul vehicle is collect at the Horse Cove Gap parking lot. The kiosh shows that ATVs, ORVs, horses, and hikers can use the trail. The trail marker just shows icons for the first two modes of transportation.
Directions to trailhead from Johnson City:
1. From I-26, take US321/TN67 exit west.
2. At second traffic light, take left onto Cherokee Road.
3. After couple miles, take left onto Lone Oak Road.
4. Road becomes Dry Creek Road (State Highway 2587).
5. Find trailhead at coordinates.
From Unicoi/Erwin:
1. From I-26, take TN81 exit towards Jonesborough.
2. Just before the highway crosses the river, take right onto Nolichucky River Road.
3. Take right onto Dry Creek Road (State Highway 2587).
4. Find trailhead at coordinates.
Another information page rates the mountain trail as difficult with single track having two way traffic. Video shows red blazed trail with sandy to well-eroded dirt path. Both motorcycles and four wheelers are shown in video.
The trail is jointly maintained by the US Forest Service and the Mountain Trail Riders Association.
The Forest Service reworked the ATV trail using a Bobcat backhoe during July-Sept 2011 to divert water off the path, excavate some cave-ins, break up rock barriers, and reroute a section. Otherwise an open sidehill cut up and around. Picked up and hauled out one grocery bag of trash (mostly beer cans) and two large brown beer bottles from the first mile.