Cherokee National Forest Copper Basin Mining Circuit

The Copper Basin Mining Circuit explores 25 miles of interconnected forest roads through one of America’s most dramatic examples of environmental recovery. From 1850 to 1987, copper smelting operations stripped 56 square miles of forest, creating a red-dirt moonscape visible from space. Today, Forest Roads 55, 221, and connecting spurs wind through the gradually healing landscape, passing abandoned mine shafts, the Burra Burra Creek headwaters, and overlooks where you can still see the stark transition between barren hills and restored forest sections.

Easy to moderate difficulty suitable for any high-clearance vehicle, with some rocky sections requiring careful line selection. The roads are generally well-maintained but can be muddy after rain. Open year-round with best access spring through fall. No permits needed. The real reward is witnessing this massive restoration project firsthand—plus the eerie beauty of driving through what locals call ‘Tennessee’s badlands’ where nothing grew for over a century.