how hard is it on the mid east coast to find good overlanding places?

[beachdude93]

Im in MD and it seems like we have like 2-3 places you can go to "off road" in parks in the state. However i dont know their camping regulations other than the beach (which i think is drive up and hike in).

Is there a comprehensive/semi comprehensive list somewhere of good places to "overland" aka off road to get to camp sites? or just set up your own sites?

Or would that "ruin" the spots for the people who use them?

Seems like the people out west and near places like utah are super spoiled geographically but we have NOTHING But forest and a giant mountain range for thousands of miles on the east coast yet it seems like obvious places to overland are far and few between? am i mistaken? is it more of a "private property" game on the east coast?

 

[MidOH]

Hard.

Yeah, the west coast is spoiled. It's hard to believe they litter up the trails like that. They're lucky to have them.

I've been combining wheeling, with regular camping, and interstate. It's not perfect, but it works. Wheel all day, sleep in a plain olde campground. So far, the best overlanding I've done, was a primitive campsite at a quarry, with nothing but slab country roads between it and home. Good diving in that quarry.

The real dirt road overlanding that I've done, so far, has mostly been a bust. A few bears and some good kayaking in a couple spots. But not worth the time and effort so far.

 

[OverLamb24]

They exist but it is definitely not as easy or close by as the West Coast. Not to mention the conditions are vastly different. I believe the MD people are trying to coordinate some more activities amongst ourselves to get it regular and visible. @Ranger Brand

 

[huachuca]

We have four National Forests here in NC plus Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras National Seashores so there is some opportunity for off-roading and dispersed camping (or, at least, minimally maintained dirt road driving). If you can get four days free, Cape Lookout may be worth the drive. Portsmouth and South Core Banks are both uninhabited twenty mile long islands with beach front camping. Take your 4WD over and find a spot that suits you.

 

[BigBlueOx_TRD]

I second Huachuca. Uwharrie here in NC for wheelin man made trails. Something for all levels of experience. Cape Lookout is a MUST - we go every year. There is also Hurricane Creek near the Tennessee/NC line. Just got back from a run up to VA/WV in the George Washington NF and that was absolutely beautiful with incredible camping by the creeks and river. We were up near Harrisonburg area and road around 60+ miles through the forest. NC also has Corolla where you can ride the sand and see wild horses, no camping though. But they do have beach house rentals out there. Also beach access at Kure Beach as well.

 

[beachdude93]

I second Huachuca. Uwharrie here in NC for wheelin man made trails. Something for all levels of experience. Cape Lookout is a MUST - we go every year. There is also Hurricane Creek near the Tennessee/NC line. Just got back from a run up to VA/WV in the George Washington NF and that was absolutely beautiful with incredible camping by the creeks and river. We were up near Harrisonburg area and road around 60+ miles through the forest. NC also has Corolla where you can ride the sand and see wild horses, no camping though. But they do have beach house rentals out there. Also beach access at Kure Beach as well.

when do you go?

 

[LostWoods]

Hard.

Yeah, the west coast is spoiled. It's hard to believe they litter up the trails like that. They're lucky to have them.

I've been combining wheeling, with regular camping, and interstate. It's not perfect, but it works. Wheel all day, sleep in a plain olde campground. So far, the best overlanding I've done, was a primitive campsite at a quarry, with nothing but slab country roads between it and home. Good diving in that quarry.

The real dirt road overlanding that I've done, so far, has mostly been a bust. A few bears and some good kayaking in a couple spots. But not worth the time and effort so far.

Completely on point. When I lived out that way, the strategy was finding trails I wanted to run, forestry areas to explore, and towns for refuel and resupply then stringing them all together with country roads and highways. even then, most places you will find are going to be established, well-known trails unless you have a local contact who is in with the community to let you know the secrets. People keep trails tight to their chests because people trash them and they will get closed sooner or later. We always ended up coming out with at least an extra trash bag every time we did the normal spots a few hours from DC.

 

[Waaazooo]

I’m in Maryland. I was planning a few trips to PA for some trail driving and camping as that seems to be the best we have in the Baltimore area

 

[beachdude93]

can you camp at any of the places listed on the DNR website? like negro mountain and other areas?

 

[Kevin108]

There's options on coastal states, but nothing on the coast.

Look up the Allegheny and Shenandoah Overland Trail.

 

[CountryRoads4x4]

I’m in WV and just got back to a 4x4 after 8 years of crossovers. I’m looking forward to exploring the forest service roads in the Monongahela National Forest. If I stumble onto some good routes I’ll post them. I’ve got a 26 mile route mapped out in GAIA thet looks promising. And, I’m going to do a portion of the TAT through WV, VA, and maybe NC in June.

 

[Waaazooo]

I’m in WV and just got back to a 4x4 after 8 years of crossovers. I’m looking forward to exploring the forest service roads in the Monongahela National Forest. If I stumble onto some good routes I’ll post them. I’ve got a 26 mile route mapped out in GAIA thet looks promising. And, I’m going to do a portion of the TAT through WV, VA, and maybe NC in June.

Are these on the Kentucky side?

 

[CountryRoads4x4]

Are these on the Kentucky side?

No, I'll be on the eastern side of WV, near Snowshoe Resort. But after I explore this area I hop to check out a route I found on OB called the KY Adventure Tour

 

[BigBlueOx_TRD]

[/QUOTE]
when do you go?[/QUOTE]

We usual go either the second or third week in May.
We will be there May 13th-16 this year

 

[DevilDodge]

By Mid East Coast...do you mean the literal coast...or the state's in that area. I ask because I do not think there is much at the coast...but in the Mountains of PA, Virginia, West Virginia there are plenty of places to roam.

 

[huachuca]

when do you go?[/QUOTE]

We usual go either the second or third week in May.
We will be there May 13th-16 this year
[/QUOTE]
Portsmouth Island or South Core Banks? The missus and I may be on PI around that time. If you see a black Colorado, stop by for a cold one.

 

[BigBlueOx_TRD]

when do you go?

We usual go either the second or third week in May.
We will be there May 13th-16 this year
[/QUOTE]
Portsmouth Island or South Core Banks? The missus and I may be on PI around that time. If you see a black Colorado, stop by for a cold one.[/QUOTE]

We'll be on the SCB near the bathroom exit to Lighthouse. We take Davis Shore Ferry Service over

 

[mamalone200]

Hey buddy, I'm out on the Eastern Shore so I am looking at a 5-7 hr drive out to the national forests up in the mountains of Virginia. So for beach camping, you have Assateague (you can hike into backcountry sites or get a campsite right near the entrance) over here on the Eastern Shore, and over in North Carolina you have Cape Lookout. George Washington and Jefferson National Forests have hundreds, if not thousands of miles in miles of forest service roads in Virginia alone, and even more in West Virginia. Get GAIA and use the National Forest and the MVUM layer and you will be able to find tons of trails and put a route together. Look for clearings/cars pulled over in google maps and you can get an idea of where there are dispersed sites, generally if you see a spur road there will be a campsite somewhere along it. I've been looking at the website below recently, they have alot of longer trails in that you can download for free. Probably going to try the Trans-Virginia trail sometime next month. If you are looking for specific trails, send me a DM. I might happen to have a GAIA folder I'm willing to share with a fellow Marylander.

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