Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Castle Hayne, North Carolina

The sand at Fort Fisher is soft, deep, and quite rutted, requiring four-wheel drive. Airing tires down to 18 to 20 psi is recommended, especially when sand conditions are hot and dry. Annual or day…
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This is a State Forest road that takes you directly to Camp Chamblee, a dispersed camping area within the State Forest. The road is a well-maintained dirt road suitable for any vehicle. Camping is free,…
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Long Point is a wide and well-maintained access road to Long Point campsite along the White Oak River. This road can easily be driven in 2wd, but very large potholes need to be watched for…
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Dixon Fields is an upper White Oak River access point in Croatan National Forest. To access this small patch of public property, you will pass through mostly private property to get there. Once turning off…
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Tootle Road can allow access about to two miles of trail and an abundance of hunting grounds. Most of Tootle Rd is a wide dirt double-track road that provides access to hunting grounds within the…
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Holston Creek is a hard-pack gravel road in the Croatan National Forest. It provides access to large amounts of game land, additional roads in the national forest, and potential for wildlife depending on timing. The…
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Mirey branch is a hard-packed road that allows access to a vast amount of Croatan National Forest game land. The road connects to several side trails that lead to different areas of the forest. Wildlife…
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Crooked Road is primarily a hard-packed double-track road that provides access to the Croatan National Forest game lands. Coming from Tootle Road and taking a left at the intersection, will lead to the highway, although…
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Holland Point is a quick out and back trail that rides along the edges of private property. This is an easy drive with only a few large potholes in the middle of the trail. Following…
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This easy off-road trail is located on the western side of the Croatan National Forest. Obstacles include a few potholes, and the trail is mostly gravel. There is one small muddy area that might be…
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This loop consists of several National Forest Service roads within the southwestern portion of the Croatan National Forest. Following Service Roads 199, 166, 3014, 176, 175, and 144, you will encounter well-maintained gravel roads accessible…
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Great Lake Road travels through Croatan National Forest, ending at Great Lake. This route is well-maintained and passable by any vehicle. While traveling the route, drivers will cross several small wooden bridges that cross small…
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Morton Field Trail is a hard-packed road that provides access to game land in the Croatan National Forest, potential shooting ranges, and a wooden bridge over a stream. Because of the national forest, wildlife can…
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This trail branches off Pettiford Creek - FS 206 and winds through Croatan National Forest land. The majority of the route is relatively easy but includes a few minor challenges. Some sections feature loose sand,…
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Millis Road (128) crosses Croaton National Forest between Whitehouse Fork Road and Nine Mile Road. This route is generally maintained and offers a nice scenic drive for any vehicle or driver. While the road is…
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This is one of three potential entrances that access the vast trail system within the Pettiford Creek Tract trail system, which has nearly 10 miles of sandy double track with mud holes, stream crossings, whoops,…
Learn more about Pettiford Creek West Entrance

This trail is an easy forest service road that provides access to Croatan National Forest land and a few shorter trails. Along the road is a bridge, a small creek, an access trail to a…
Learn more about Pettiford Creek - FS 206

This trail is another offshoot of Pettiford Creek FS 206 and consists of a sandy double track that winds through Croatan National Forest, offering access to Pettiford Creek. While slightly more challenging than FS 206,…
Learn more about FS 206 Spur 2

Pettiford Creek Trail 11 is a short offshoot from the Pettiford Creek West Entrance that leads to a small, secluded campsite along Pettiford Creek. The site can accommodate up to three or four vehicles, including…
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This offshoot branches from FS 206 Spur 2 and Pettiford Creek. It's a sandy double-track trail that offers an enjoyable and relatively easy drive. While a few spots may become muddy after recent rainfall, the…
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Pettiford Creek Trail 10 connects the Pettiford Creek West Entrance with Pettiford Creek Trail 9 and also provides access to a scenic campsite along Pettiford Creek. The trail itself consists mostly of packed sand with…
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Pettiford Creek Trail 9 is a longer route that initially runs along the edge of private property before entering the state forest and linking Pettiford Creek West Entrance to Pettiford Creek Main Trail. While the…
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This is one of the first branches off the main trail through Pettiford Creek State Forest. The trail begins with a wide, sandy double track, which turns into a narrow, muddy trail. The trail ends…
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Pettiford Creek Trail 13 is a longer route that winds through Pettiford Creek State Forest and Croatan National Forest, running parallel to the boundary of nearby private property. The trail primarily consists of packed sand,…
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This trail is a longer trail with a varied environment. The beginning of the trail is rather sandy and open but eventually turns into a tighter, secluded forest. This trail is rather easy, featuring some…
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Pettiford Creek Trail 14 is a short connector trail that links Bogue Road to Pettiford Creek Trail 13. While generally mild, it can feature a few shallow mud pits--typically no deeper than a few inches--that…
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Bogue Road is another hard-pack road leading to more Croatan National Forest areas. Along the road is a vast hunting land area and numerous side trails. The end of the road turns into a tight-looking…
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This is the main trail through Pettiford Creek State Forest, allowing access from one side of the state forest to the other. This is the easiest trail within Pettiford Creek and mostly consists of sandy…
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This narrow double-track trail provides access to the Pettiford Creek State Forest, an area surrounded by Croatan National Forest. This state forest offers miles of trails ranging from sandy double tracks to deeper mud and…
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Pettiford Creek Trail 3 is an offshoot of Bogue Road Spur that connects to the Pettiford Creek Main Trail. While Trail 3 and the Main Trail run parallel, they only link up at the beginning…
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