South Bison Range
South Bison Range Trail is a 4.9-mile trail in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Tennessee. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The forest office carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 36.6727° N, 87.9963° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 36.6577° N, 87.9813° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 4.9 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | WC12 |
| Forest | Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (unit 0860) |
| States | Tennessee |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedCretaceous Hills State Natural Area Rx
50 mi from the trail midpoint · 48 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the South Bison Range Trail?
The Forest Service records 4.9 miles under this name in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the South Bison Range Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the South Bison Range Trail start?
The line begins at 36.6727° N, 87.9963° W and ends at 36.6577° N, 87.9813° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the South Bison Range Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the South Bison Range Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the South Bison Range Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the South Bison Range Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the South Bison Range Trail?
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Forest Service unit 0860. The trail is in Tennessee.
Is there a fire near the South Bison Range Trail?
The interagency feed shows 1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Cretaceous Hills State Natural Area Rx at 50 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named South Bison Range in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0860. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.