North Carolina ATV Guide
North Carolina ATV Trail Guide
We’ve only highlighted a very few popular North Carolina OHV areas here, but there are many other great places throughout the state for your 4-wheeler riding. When it comes to unleashing your ATV, North Carolina offers up tons of ATV and UTV trail riding adventures thanks to the state’s charming mountains, forests and beaches. Here at Treadworld, we have the ATV tires you need for wherever your exploits take you. Don’t hesitate to contact our tire experts via live chat or email with any questions you may have, and to get the ideal Master ATV and UTV Tires for you.
Black Swamp OHV and Area
Location: Black Swamp Road, Pollocksville, NC
In the Croatan National Forest, with its mixed pine and scrub oak trees, Black Swamp ATV trails twist and turn through 8 miles of swampy, muddy terrain. And the trails, though mostly flat, are indeed swampy. Be prepared to get dirty because the area is prone to deep mud bogs even when the weather is dry. These 4-wheeler trails are open to machines that are 50 inches or less.
Brown Mountain OHV Trail
Location: 1610 Brown Mountain Beach Rd, Morganton, NC
This North Carolina ATV trails system in the Pisgah National Forest offers 12 different trails covering more than 34 miles, rated as intermediate to difficult. Mostly dirt and rock ATV and UTV trails, this is a beautiful area for riding with its mile-high peaks, waterfalls, and beautifully forested hills. Strangely, Brown Mountain has a reputation for unexplained light orbs that have been sighted on moonless nights so keep your eyes open.
Brushy Mountain Motor Sport Park
Location: 2490-2898, 2491 Lambert Fork Rd, Taylorsville, NC
This is one of the bigger North Carolina off-road areas with 100 miles of ATV trails twisting, turning, climbing, and descending through 1,700 acres of wilderness. Trails range from intermediate to expert, with the longest track, 25.5 miles long, designated for more experienced off-roaders, and another trail designated for youngsters. It’s a members-only park, but visitors can purchase day passes.
Busco Beach and ATV Park
Location: 1243 Bryan Blvd, Goldsboro, NC
Bordering the Neuse River, this 2000-acre area offers 4-wheeler riders just over 5 miles of hard-packed trails, steep hill climbs, challenging mud pits and deep water crossings suitable for all ATV and UTV riding experience levels. The mostly sand trails offer a leisurely pace while hard-packed trails through pine groves and over oak flats that offer some opportunity to let out the throttle. There is also a nice sandy beach around the perimeter of a lake.
Outback ATV/MX Park
Location: 18576 McGirts Bridge Rd, Laurinburg, NC
A great place for ATV riding families and beginners, this area’s 600 acres boast over 90 miles of ATV riding trails including a number of terrain types, including sandpits, ponds, woods, and a riverbank for instance, and with a variety of difficulty levels. There’s also a peewee track and a mud bog that is exceptionally popular. The park is run by two disabled veterans, who have it a priority to provide a family-friendly facility.
Uwharrie OHV Trail System
Location: 789 Biscoe Road, Troy, NC
Some of the most exciting OHV trails North Carolina has to offer are part of the 52,000-acre Uwharrie system, which offers trails for every vehicle type and skill level. Dirt roads meandering through forests, stream crossings, rocky ruts, and hill climbs are all part of the intermediate-level fun. Trails with names like Saw Mill, Wolf Den, Slab Pile, and Falls Dam offer 4-wheeling challenges, but not the constant stress of the more challenging steep, rocky climbs which you’ll also find here. Be advised that all the challenges increase after a good rain when the North Carolina clay makes even the mellow trails slippery.
Uwharrie: Badin Lake OHV Area
Location: Within Uwharrie National Forest, New London, NC, northwest of Troy, NC
Whether you’re looking for easy or extremely difficult ATV trail riding, or something in-between, you’ll find it here. Consisting mainly of old mining and logging roads with several small creek crossings and rolling, steep hills, the Badin Lake system features a lake and eight trails totaling about 17 miles. It’s recommended that if you’re a first-timer, you start with Falls Dam Trail (2.8 miles, rated moderate) or Dutch John Trail (2.1 miles, rated difficult) but do not start with Daniel (TR 390) (see below).
Uwharrie: Daniel (TR 390)
Location: Within Uwharrie National Forest, part of the Badin Lake OHV Area
Though just a single, one-way, 2.1-mile trail, Daniel is rated as extremely difficult and is considered one of the most arduous OHV trails NC has to offer. For adrenaline junkies only. Trees are blazed with orange diamond trail markers through lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, steep hills, and natural obstacles. Recommended for professional riders.
Wayehutta OHV Riding Area
Location: State Road 1731, Sylva, NC
This area, located in the 40,000-acre Nantahala National Forest, provides ATV riders and UTV riders with 28 miles of loop trails primarily over old logging roads and railroad beds. The trails cut across the dense forest, with bridge crossings and even a hidden, scenic waterfall. Trails are rated for experience levels from beginning with a youth area to moderate to expert, with the more difficult trails tending to be very steep, rocky and challenging.
