Traveler I
Best Places to OL in NC?
- Thread starter EP34FR
- Start date
Contributor I
How about from the 4runner forum:
1238 PISGAH LOOP SCENIC BYWAY
= Old NC 105 Lineville NC -> Marion NC
{begins @ 35.771991, -81.902834 }
{ends @ 35.951321, -81.934590 }
>for the videos i have seen online, this is a gravel highway with beautiful overlooks along the way, but technically you can even do it with a normal car, provided you drive slow<
--- --- ---
1365^1409 BUCK COVE
= Tellico Creek Road , Franklin NC
-> Briartown Church Road , Topton NC
{Tellico Creek Road @ 35.2738078, -83.5201401 }
{Briartown Church Road @ 35.2595272, -83.6061716 }
>this is supposed to be a residential area and there are some nice homes along this gravel road, but for what i understood it should present any extreme challenge<
--- --- ---
BIG LAUREL GAP
= Curtis Creek road, Old Fort NC -> Burnsville NC
{begins @ 35.6667720, -82.1876850 }
{ends @ 35.736466, -82.192837 }
>i am not sure, i found videos where it seems just a Gravel trail, but then i have seem some more challenging forest passages, any insight on this trail?<
--- --- ---
1407 BALD KNOB RIDGE
= Maple Grove Church Road, Lenoir NC
-> NC 90, Colletsville NC
{begins @ 35.906390, -81.697202 }
{ends @ 36.031512, -81.707333 }
>this is supposedly a very very long trail with supposedly some awesome views of the mountain, i was unable to find any detailed video on how the whole trail goes on, but it should be a nice place to go around... has any of you been here before?<
--- --- ---
1328 WILSON CREEK GORGE
= Playmore Beach Road , Lenoir NC
-> NC 90 , Mortimer NC
-> Roseboro road , Lineville NC
{Playmore Beach Road @ 35.8856718, -81.6892464 }
{Roseboro road @ 36.0519360, -81.8529588 }
>this is the trail that takes you through the Ghost City of North Carolina, although there are 3 in total and are nearby, but supposedly Mortimer NC is an abandoned town that is creepy to visit and reachable with a very easy going off road<
--- --- ---
DRY FALLS LAKE SEQUOIA DAM
= Arnold Road, Highlands NC
-> Lake Sequoyah Dr, Highlands NC
{Dead End @ 35.050929, -83.221791 }
>this trail takes you to the Dry Falls where you can even walk behind the fall itself, the only issue is that it is a one way trail and there is no explanation of how hard it is to get there... has anyone in the Forum been there before?<
--- --- ---
1537 BUCK CREEK
= Panther Mountain Rd, Highlands NC -> Panther Ridge road, Highlands NC
-> Highlands Gate Dr -> Cardinal Ridge Dr, Highlands NC
{Panther Mountain Rd @ 35.126874, -83.221095 }
{Cardinal Ridge Dr @ 35.123938, -83.279041 }
>i read some blog entries of People that say this Trail is really beautiful, but it presents some mild challenges, yet there is no grade on this trail, so makes me wonder if it's safe or not for a family trip: any insight on this trail would be appreciated<
--- --- ---
403 HEINTOOGA ROUND BOTTOM RIDGE
= Balsam Mountain Road , Charleston NC
{one way @ 35.573377, -83.180108 }
>this is an actual State Ranger Maintained scenic one way road, it's safe for any car with a bit higher ground clearance and AWD or 4WD traction, so we will probably do it this summer<
--- --- ---
1100 COURTHOUSE FALLS
= Chestnut Creek Road , Balsam Grove NC
{dead end @ 35.247888, -82.888026}
>another dead end road, that forces you to go back but i have no clue how wide it is or what sort of obstacles there are in it, furthermore the fact that is some maps this is listed as a National Forest Road, which for what i read, it requires you to have a permit sticker on the car to be allowed to Drive it in there, but i am not sure of this as some people say the permit is required only for NON Road Legal Vehicles, so it should be OK to go there with your daily driver car<
--- --- ---
1182 PISGAH FOREST TRAIL
= Hurricane Creekroad , Clyde NC
-> Max Patch Road , Clyde NC
{begins @ 35.723326, -83.026519}
>this is a public access road, dangerous to enter into as it turns off the Interstate with no exit lane so it's easy to get rear ended as you try to make a right turn from the middle of the highway, plus for what i understood it becomes a National Forest Road and requires an yearly pass to be purchased from the North Carolina National Forest Service, but i am not sure if road legal vehicles need the permit; it has some mild challenges, but it is easily doable with any 4WD vehicle and even AWD as long as they have a decent ground clearance as there are some water creek crossings as well as some rocks to get over<
--- --- ---
37023 GOLDEN VALLEY
= Roper Hollow Road , Morganton NC
-> Hackberry Dr
-> Pine Ridge Dr , Casar NC
{roper hollow rd @ 35.592554, -81.773675 }
{pine ridge dr @ 35.562942, -81.642625 }
>i am not sure this trail is still open, some people online say it washed off really bad and became unpracticeble after 4-5 miles into the trails, other said they encountered park rangers that told them to be very careful not to go off trail because it's very likely to roll down the hill, but supposedly it has beautiful views of the Golden Valley, which i live really close to, but i never been in it... anybody has been here recently?<
--- --- ---
GORGES STATE PARK
= Chestnut MountainRoad off road trail
Sapphire NC / Jocassee SC
{Dead End @ 35.088612, -82.951644 }
>this trail seems confusing: for what i understood by other videos and photos, this trail is fairly simple and it has some mild rock crawlingand some tight bridges to pass, but nothing too extreme, but then, at some point, it becomes a tough off Road Trail and forces you to turn around unless you have some very tough Off Road buggy, yet the trail, according to some comments, is a one way road, so you shouldn't turn around... any ideas what is going on in this trail?<
--- --- ---
1737 WAYEHUTTA =
= Moses Creek Road Cullowhee NC 1740 -> Wayehutta Rd 1731
{begins @ 35.3286143, -83.1119062 }
= Chastian Creek Road , Cullowhee NC 1745
{begins @ 35.3166786, -83.0615990 }
= Caney Fork Road , Cullowhee NC 1737
{begins @ 35.327545, -83.040326 }
>this place is a crossing of 3 different trails that have different difficulties, but what it is not clear to me is if you can go through while avoiding the extreme rock crawlingsections where you need at least 35" tires and long suspensions to go through... can i drive from one end to the other following an easy route, or am i forced to turn around? and which of the 3 is the very hard off road one?<
--- --- ---
1372 GEOCHACHE BLOWING ROCK OFF ROAD
= Richland Road , Lenoir NC
-> Blackberry Road
{begins @ 36.095988, -81.599467}
>i have done this with the Land Rover Defender 90 i used to have, it is quite a challenging trail, but it is doable, except a certain point in which you need to crawl up some big rocks and it is a very tough spot to go up to... yet i have seen videos of other 4 Runners going up there, with some difficulties, but they made it up there, and once you make it up, the other rocks are much easier to overcome and the creeks are never too dip, but i doubt i would go up there on the Family Car, even though i know any TRD can easily do it<
1238 PISGAH LOOP SCENIC BYWAY
= Old NC 105 Lineville NC -> Marion NC
{begins @ 35.771991, -81.902834 }
{ends @ 35.951321, -81.934590 }
>for the videos i have seen online, this is a gravel highway with beautiful overlooks along the way, but technically you can even do it with a normal car, provided you drive slow<
--- --- ---
1365^1409 BUCK COVE
= Tellico Creek Road , Franklin NC
-> Briartown Church Road , Topton NC
{Tellico Creek Road @ 35.2738078, -83.5201401 }
{Briartown Church Road @ 35.2595272, -83.6061716 }
>this is supposed to be a residential area and there are some nice homes along this gravel road, but for what i understood it should present any extreme challenge<
--- --- ---
BIG LAUREL GAP
= Curtis Creek road, Old Fort NC -> Burnsville NC
{begins @ 35.6667720, -82.1876850 }
{ends @ 35.736466, -82.192837 }
>i am not sure, i found videos where it seems just a Gravel trail, but then i have seem some more challenging forest passages, any insight on this trail?<
--- --- ---
1407 BALD KNOB RIDGE
= Maple Grove Church Road, Lenoir NC
-> NC 90, Colletsville NC
{begins @ 35.906390, -81.697202 }
{ends @ 36.031512, -81.707333 }
>this is supposedly a very very long trail with supposedly some awesome views of the mountain, i was unable to find any detailed video on how the whole trail goes on, but it should be a nice place to go around... has any of you been here before?<
--- --- ---
1328 WILSON CREEK GORGE
= Playmore Beach Road , Lenoir NC
-> NC 90 , Mortimer NC
-> Roseboro road , Lineville NC
{Playmore Beach Road @ 35.8856718, -81.6892464 }
{Roseboro road @ 36.0519360, -81.8529588 }
>this is the trail that takes you through the Ghost City of North Carolina, although there are 3 in total and are nearby, but supposedly Mortimer NC is an abandoned town that is creepy to visit and reachable with a very easy going off road<
--- --- ---
DRY FALLS LAKE SEQUOIA DAM
= Arnold Road, Highlands NC
-> Lake Sequoyah Dr, Highlands NC
{Dead End @ 35.050929, -83.221791 }
>this trail takes you to the Dry Falls where you can even walk behind the fall itself, the only issue is that it is a one way trail and there is no explanation of how hard it is to get there... has anyone in the Forum been there before?<
--- --- ---
1537 BUCK CREEK
= Panther Mountain Rd, Highlands NC -> Panther Ridge road, Highlands NC
-> Highlands Gate Dr -> Cardinal Ridge Dr, Highlands NC
{Panther Mountain Rd @ 35.126874, -83.221095 }
{Cardinal Ridge Dr @ 35.123938, -83.279041 }
>i read some blog entries of People that say this Trail is really beautiful, but it presents some mild challenges, yet there is no grade on this trail, so makes me wonder if it's safe or not for a family trip: any insight on this trail would be appreciated<
--- --- ---
403 HEINTOOGA ROUND BOTTOM RIDGE
= Balsam Mountain Road , Charleston NC
{one way @ 35.573377, -83.180108 }
>this is an actual State Ranger Maintained scenic one way road, it's safe for any car with a bit higher ground clearance and AWD or 4WD traction, so we will probably do it this summer<
--- --- ---
1100 COURTHOUSE FALLS
= Chestnut Creek Road , Balsam Grove NC
{dead end @ 35.247888, -82.888026}
>another dead end road, that forces you to go back but i have no clue how wide it is or what sort of obstacles there are in it, furthermore the fact that is some maps this is listed as a National Forest Road, which for what i read, it requires you to have a permit sticker on the car to be allowed to Drive it in there, but i am not sure of this as some people say the permit is required only for NON Road Legal Vehicles, so it should be OK to go there with your daily driver car<
--- --- ---
1182 PISGAH FOREST TRAIL
= Hurricane Creekroad , Clyde NC
-> Max Patch Road , Clyde NC
{begins @ 35.723326, -83.026519}
>this is a public access road, dangerous to enter into as it turns off the Interstate with no exit lane so it's easy to get rear ended as you try to make a right turn from the middle of the highway, plus for what i understood it becomes a National Forest Road and requires an yearly pass to be purchased from the North Carolina National Forest Service, but i am not sure if road legal vehicles need the permit; it has some mild challenges, but it is easily doable with any 4WD vehicle and even AWD as long as they have a decent ground clearance as there are some water creek crossings as well as some rocks to get over<
--- --- ---
37023 GOLDEN VALLEY
= Roper Hollow Road , Morganton NC
-> Hackberry Dr
-> Pine Ridge Dr , Casar NC
{roper hollow rd @ 35.592554, -81.773675 }
{pine ridge dr @ 35.562942, -81.642625 }
>i am not sure this trail is still open, some people online say it washed off really bad and became unpracticeble after 4-5 miles into the trails, other said they encountered park rangers that told them to be very careful not to go off trail because it's very likely to roll down the hill, but supposedly it has beautiful views of the Golden Valley, which i live really close to, but i never been in it... anybody has been here recently?<
--- --- ---
GORGES STATE PARK
= Chestnut MountainRoad off road trail
Sapphire NC / Jocassee SC
{Dead End @ 35.088612, -82.951644 }
>this trail seems confusing: for what i understood by other videos and photos, this trail is fairly simple and it has some mild rock crawlingand some tight bridges to pass, but nothing too extreme, but then, at some point, it becomes a tough off Road Trail and forces you to turn around unless you have some very tough Off Road buggy, yet the trail, according to some comments, is a one way road, so you shouldn't turn around... any ideas what is going on in this trail?<
--- --- ---
1737 WAYEHUTTA =
= Moses Creek Road Cullowhee NC 1740 -> Wayehutta Rd 1731
{begins @ 35.3286143, -83.1119062 }
= Chastian Creek Road , Cullowhee NC 1745
{begins @ 35.3166786, -83.0615990 }
= Caney Fork Road , Cullowhee NC 1737
{begins @ 35.327545, -83.040326 }
>this place is a crossing of 3 different trails that have different difficulties, but what it is not clear to me is if you can go through while avoiding the extreme rock crawlingsections where you need at least 35" tires and long suspensions to go through... can i drive from one end to the other following an easy route, or am i forced to turn around? and which of the 3 is the very hard off road one?<
--- --- ---
1372 GEOCHACHE BLOWING ROCK OFF ROAD
= Richland Road , Lenoir NC
-> Blackberry Road
{begins @ 36.095988, -81.599467}
>i have done this with the Land Rover Defender 90 i used to have, it is quite a challenging trail, but it is doable, except a certain point in which you need to crawl up some big rocks and it is a very tough spot to go up to... yet i have seen videos of other 4 Runners going up there, with some difficulties, but they made it up there, and once you make it up, the other rocks are much easier to overcome and the creeks are never too dip, but i doubt i would go up there on the Family Car, even though i know any TRD can easily do it<
Last edited:
Good morning guys. New here. Planning on hitting the 105 next weekend. Still trying to locate other trails in the area.
I realize your post is a few months old... but did you guys do okay with the Raptors? I want to go find some fun trails as well, but my wide girl is a limfac apparently!
Contributor I
JButtress
Rank VI
Traveler II
That map brings back some memories... I graduated HS in Havelock. Catfish Lake was one of our favorite places!
For those trails in Lenoir, that’s near Kinston right? I didn’t know anything was that Far East of Uwharrie. If so, I’m only 30 minutes away
Member III
@JButtress
- Done List
- 1238 PISGAH LOOP SCENIC BYWAY
- Can't count the number of times this has been ran) - It's Old NC 105 with a back run connector
- 1407 BALD KNOB RIDGE
- This is known locally as Maple Sally. It changes names a few times on the way up. Great views out. Popular for the adventure bikes. It runs parallel to Wilson Creek but with a ridge between the two. I ran this maybe 3 weeks back - there were some huge trees down blocking the trail a couple miles in that I wasn't going to try to clear solo. As of August 11, 2019. Route Map Here
- 1328 WILSON CREEK GORGE
- This is overcrowded and a mess. Hard pack gravel doesn't even cover it because it is so well traveled.
- Mostly comprised of Brown Mountain Beach Road, no dispersed camping anywhere, a lot of litter and general assholery by other folks.
- Craig Creek Rd/FS 982 is promising. It was gated after a mile because of flood damage taking off a lot of the trail. There were some good, big campsites right along the creek before the gate. As of August 11, 2019.
- The most promising road I found here that isn't overrun with tourists and trashed is Pineola Road - Route Map Here
- 1182 PISGAH FOREST TRAIL
- This is Hurricane Creek. Not anywhere near as easy as that description makes it sound. It is very tight, 3-4 big water crossings, 1 huge mud gallery, a few very technical slopes. I wouldn't take this trail lightly. Route Map Here
- GORGES STATE PARK
- This is one of the most beautiful and perfect rides around. Again, I don't know who wrote that description - but there isn't any rock crawling and there are no bridges. The trail begins in Gorges State Park. You will need 9" of ground clearance and 4wd/AWD. It goes just a little over 7 miles and ends at Horsepasture River. There ins't anything technical. The only thing you would need to be aware of is keeping your momentum up while leaving because of a long, steep, steady climb with loose gravel. This is the best maintained and well-loved trail around. Route Map Here
- Possibility List
- BIG LAUREL GAP
- This is the trail that Kyle - @johnniac57 - was planning on checking out this past weekend but didn't make it out.
- 403 HEINTOOGA ROUND BOTTOM RIDGE
- Never heard of this route, but it looks pretty long. This is in Cherokee National Forest, north of the BRP. I haven't done much exploring up there.
- 1100 COURTHOUSE FALLS
- This one has some promise.
- 37023 GOLDEN VALLEY
- Possibly? It's part of Gamelands so it may have some seasonal closures?
- Not Interested List
- 1365^1409 BUCK COVE
- This is residential. Nobody wants people trail riding by where they live.
- DRY FALLS LAKE SEQUOIA DAM
- There are no open trails here. Dry Falls is literally on the highway.
- 1537 BUCK CREEK
- Another residential area. A lot of pavement as well
- 1372 GEOCHACHE BLOWING ROCK OFF ROAD
- This is Richland Road which is contested ground and not recommended. A lot of it runs through private property and some assholes have gone out there and ruined for everybody by acting like tool bags. People have bypassed bridges just so they could drive through the creek. There was nothing wrong with the bridge. In clearings people have just cut doughnuts and used any puddle seen as a mud drag.
Enthusiast II
I've been on Heintooga Round Bottom. It was kind of long, but it was a really easy road. I think it took us about 90-120 minutes. Some good hiking trail heads and fishing opportunities along the way. I don't remember seeing much in the way of camp sites directly off it, but I wasn't looking for them either.
Good Evening, I'll be leaving Memphis soon and meet my fiance in the middle of NC. She will be in a car with 2 dogs and me in my lifted F150. Where should i meet her for some good scenic views and fishing along with hiking with the dogs? I don't think dogs can go to the national parks so I'm looking for suggestions. Thanks
Member III
I can’t think of any parks in the Carolinas that don’t allow dogs. Some specific spots have restrictions (like popular waterfalls, some overlooks, etc - places where a dog on a leash could be a hazard). My dog goes on almost all of my adventures. If you’re looking at central NC Uwharrie is going to be your best bet.
Fishing: Badin Lake has some great bass fishing and some pretty good catfishing. However, this late in the summer you’d have to get out deeper. I usually have luck on underwater ridges around 30’. That usually requires a boat w/ sonar. Luckily though, the Pee Dee River which feeds a whole chain of lakes, runs right through there. If you aim for a more narrow section & run some live shad on long lines you should have something fresh for dinner. The other option is the much smaller Uwharrie River. It’ll be much more secluded back-country fishing. The place is rich in crayfish. Supports a great smallmouth & largemouth bass population. I’ve had a lot of luck downstream from the rapids using plugs, flies, & crayfish imitators (the Rapala ThunderCraw filled a cooler on a good day)
There are a ton of hiking trails, but the best in my opinion are the ones that run the banks of the lakes or rivers. I’ve visited the OHV that is out there as well. I’m not a huge fan of the structured trails (plus my rig wasn’t built for those), but I get the appeal.
Hope this helps. Happy trails.
Thanks! We're looking for Western NC, a place where she can park her car and get in my truck and get a nice camping spot for the night and some more trail riding in the morning. truck is a lifted F150 so fairly large.
Member III
Standard is going to be Old NC 105. Dispersed camping is going to be scarce this time of year, so you may have to go for a pay campground. Not much fishing there though. A great place would be Gorges State Park. Look for it in the Downloadable Routes forum. We did a rally point event out there and it was perfect & amazing. There are a ton of photos from the trip on that route. In that same downloadable tracks forum you can also find some other tracks I’ve put up in western NC. Avery Creek Rd & Yellow Gap Rd are like 1 mile apart from each other so they can be combined. That area is a Mecca for local fly fisherman. Maple Sally is also another good route. It runs along an amazing ridge offering amazing overlooks w/ dispersed camping that I’ve never seen many people camped at. Wilson Creek is nearby - I’ve never had much luck fishing there, but it may be just my technique or bad luck.
JButtress
Rank VI
Traveler II
I don’t believe there is much true overlanding to be had in National Parks. Most times the backroads and service roads are closed for personnel only. So a National Park would mean car camping in an established campground
Member III
I remember from doing research about hiking in Smokie was that dogs are a no go for the majority of the park.
I’m tryin to do a winter weekend in nc if anyone is interested I have a bone stock 4x4 sunburban so no difficult trails
Traveler I
If you plan on camping at a campsite you’d have to pay the $4.00 before you get there but here’s a link to all the gravel roads in the park.
Where To Find Unpaved Gravel Roads in the Smoky Mountains
Explore these scenic gravel roads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Enjoy rugged, unpaved adventure and explore some secluded places in the Smoki
Member II
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