Volunteer State News

Following several months of restoration efforts, the northwestern portion of Pickett State Forest will reopen to motorized vehicles on February 1, 2025. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF) had implemented temporary restrictions in May 2024 due to damage caused by off-road vehicles, which affected forest health and safety.

State Forester Heather Slayton stated, “As stewards of Tennessee’s state forests, we recognized our responsibility to balance sustainable forest management, timber production, and recreational use.” She emphasized that TDF has addressed ecological and safety concerns related to off-road vehicle use while prioritizing forest management and visitor safety.

The rehabilitation work involved nearly five miles of roads and trails in Pickett State Forest. Crews worked on restoring surfaces, eliminating mudholes, sowing seed, and installing cables and gates for designated area closures. An updated recreation map now shows a total of 14.5 miles for hiking only; 18.2 miles for non-motorized activities like hiking, biking, and horseback riding; and 34.7 miles for motorized use on both paved and unpaved roads.

Two unpaved roads—Yellow Doors Road and Redmond Rim Road—are newly designated as seasonal motorized use roads to minimize damage during rainy seasons while allowing access during drier months. These roads will be open from March 15 through December 20.

Gates have been installed at the northern boundary to block entry into Kentucky via Redmond Mountain Road and Carpenter Rockhouse Road. Designated motorized use areas include sections before the Carpenter Rockhouse Split on Redmond Mountain Road. Other roads are limited to non-motorized use or have seasonal restrictions.

Enforcement of usage restrictions will be carried out by state park rangers under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. TDA Agricultural Crime Unit Special Agents will also patrol the area.

Motorized activity is restricted to daylight hours in designated areas only. Violations such as tampering with signs or traveling off designated paths are considered Class A misdemeanors.

Across all state forests in Tennessee, unauthorized motorcycle or off-road vehicle use is prohibited except on maintained trails or roads by the Division of Forestry. The TDF continues monitoring measures against similar issues across its system encompassing over 173,000 acres across sixteen state forests.

The Division's role extends beyond protection against wildland fires; it includes emergency response coordination, prescribed fire guidance services provision along with landowner assistance programs aimed at promoting responsible forest resource utilization statewide.