North Cumberland WMA- Royal Blue Unit

 North Cumberland/Royal Blue is located a few miles off I-75, and is a good spot for outdoor recreation. This place is a bid draw for ATV’s, and from what I understand they ride up there year round. The area is a WMA, so it’s a good spot for hunting, just make sure to check local regulations, I know they have elk in this area, and quota hunts and such. You can find some great camping spots here, outside of hunting season anyway. The area is large, so you can definitely find a great spot to camp. We chose a spot that someone had used previously and made a fire pit. We were on top of a ridge, and had good cell reception. It was quiet and peaceful. I did take note of several other really good spots too. If you want to escape civilization and enjoy camping for free, this is a good spot.

I always enjoy camping on WMA land. The North Cumberland, Royal Blue Unit is a huge area. The part we camped in was very quiet, woodsy, and tons of decent campsites right off the road. We were in our rooftop tent, so we we’re looking to drive in and had several options. There were several fields you could rent camp in though. The road was pretty rough in some places so I would recommend having 4wd just to be safe. Royal Blue is known locally as a great spot for ATV/UTV riding. I think for the most part, the best areas of the WMA are right off the exit (141). The area is full of Elk too, so keep an eye out! The entrance to the area we were in is a few miles off the exit, just past the Pioneer post office. We did not see nor hear another person or vehicle until on our way out in the late morning, we passed 4 UTV’s coming in. The area was very clean, and I always appreciate seeing natural areas being trash free! We had full cell service at our spot, we were on top of a ridge, there was another road that was going down, I’m not sure you would have service down there. I have camped at lots of WMA’s, this one was convenient, clean, and quiet, so I would return. Just remember, hunting is allowed in this area, so you can’t be there unless hunting during season. But summer is open!