There are plenty of ways to explore the mountains of Scott County. You can lace up a pair of hiking boots, climb into the saddle of a horse or grab a paddle and head for the river.

Or you can buckle into a side-by-side, turn the key and see where the trail takes you.

Just outside Huntsville, Brimstone offers one of the South’s premier destinations for off-highway vehicle adventure, with more than 300 miles of trails and roads spread across more than 19,000 acres of rugged Appalachian terrain.

And with autumn approaching, there may be no better time to experience it.

Brimstone is more than a place to get muddy. Its trail system climbs from creek bottoms and narrow hollows to the high ridges of the Cumberland Mountains, offering the sort of scenery that makes it worthwhile to stop the machine, shut off the engine and simply look around.

By October, those views become especially impressive. The hardwood forests covering the mountains begin their annual transformation, with green giving way to brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red. Fall color in the Scott County area typically peaks from the middle to latter part of October, making an autumn ride through Brimstone one of the most colorful adventures of the year.

There is plenty of variety along the way.

Brimstone’s extensive trail system offers something for different experience levels, whether you’re looking for a relatively relaxed family outing or something that will put your riding skills to the test. Along the way are mountain overlooks and points of cultural interest that turn a day of riding into an opportunity to explore a part of Scott County that most visitors never see from the highway.

You don’t even have to own an ATV or side-by-side to experience the adventure. Rentals are available, making Brimstone an option for visitors who are curious about off-road recreation but aren’t ready to invest in their own machine. A land-use permit is required for everyone accessing the Brimstone trails, including passengers.

And there’s no need to make it a one-day adventure.

Brimstone Campground provides a convenient base camp along the New River, with RV sites and primitive tent camping available. Campers have direct access to Trail No. 1, meaning you can wake up, have breakfast and head for the mountains without loading the machines onto a trailer. Cabins and other accommodations are also available in the area.

That’s part of what makes Brimstone special. A trip here isn’t simply about riding an ATV. It’s about spending a weekend in the mountains — mornings on the trail, afternoons exploring overlooks and creek crossings, and evenings around the campfire talking about where you’ve been and where you’ll ride tomorrow.

Scott County is known as Tennessee’s Adventure Tourism Capital for good reason. From the river gorge of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area to the vast wilderness of the Cumberland Mountains, adventure is never far away.

At Brimstone, sometimes all it takes to find it is turning the key.