Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near East Arcadia, North Carolina

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, however, you are required to call the ranger station to let them know you are camping. They can b...
Learn more about Camp Chamblee

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 passes are available at the park entrance from the Park Rangers. This trail has fantastic ocean views ...
Learn more about Fort Fisher State Recreation Area 4x4 Beach

This trail is a ride around the pasture with no challenge in between. The trail is mostly used as an access to other trails in the system, so some sections have well-worn tire tracks, and other areas are just grass. Do watch for traffic as you approach the highly-used Restoration Trail.
Learn more about Graham's Circle

If you enjoy high berm turns and a little challenge, then you'll love this trail that is surprisingly whoopty-free. Betty's Whoopties is a one-way, single-lane trail that leaves from Fox Hollow. At the bottom of the hill, Fox Hollow makes a hard left turn, and this trail is immediately to your right...
Learn more about Betty's Whoopties

This single-lane path is comprised of compacted sand; however, it is a little grown in, so expect some roof knocking on taller vehicles. The trail takes a sharp left and widens out at the intersection with Betty's Whoopties. There are a couple of small mud holes that have a narrow bypass around them...
Learn more about Fox Hollow

A nice scenic drive onto a well-maintained gravel road, this area is located in the Croatan National Forest and has gamelands for hunting and fishing. This road leads to a parking area where you can release kayaks or boats into the White Oak River, with public restrooms available.
Learn more about Haywood Landing - FS 146

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 into Croatan National Forest, the trail becomes much narrower and riddled with deep potholes. ...
Learn more about Dixon Fields

This is an easy scenic drive for those looking for more trails and less mud. The trail is mostly compacted sand and well-maintained, with plenty of room for passing traffic in most sections. You can access this trail via Mercy Lane or Peacemaker's Way. There are also several cut-throughs from Barnhi...
Learn more about Jamey's Swamp Road

This main trail leaves from the north side of the campground. It's wide and comprised of compacted sand with several mud holes that are easily bypassed. This is a high use trail so use caution for oncoming traffic and bear in mind the speed limit of 5 mph in and around the campground.
Learn more about Heritage Trail

This trail is a great cut-through to use to get back to camp or head deeper into the trail system. It's comprised of compact sand with a section of loose sand near the top of the hill where Gail's Trail meets Graham's Circle. There is a mudhole that forms at the base of this hill that could be trick...
Learn more about Gail's Trail

Pulling onto Hill Field Road from Highway 58, you will be met with a gravel road and an open gate allowing access to this trail. It flat and smooth from beginning to end and might have to pull off onto the side to allow others to pass through. At the end will be a parking area for hunters during the...
Learn more about Hill Field - FS 603

Johnson's Cut Through is a short but wide trail, comprised mostly of compact sand. It allows access to Oakley Road or Heritage Trail without the need to track all the way back into the campground. The trail is well marked on Heritage Trail; however, no sign exists on Oakley Road. Use caution approac...
Learn more about Johnson's Cut Through

This trail is accessible from the north side of the campground or from Cooke's Circle. Oakley Road is a nice and easy ride through the woods. It does have a few narrow blind corners so use caution. However, the trail is generally wide enough for two vehicles to pass. Be aware that the speed limit in...
Learn more about Oakley Road

Shelby Drive has a split personality. Leaving from the northwest section of the campground, it is wide and comprised of compact sand that has plenty of room for multiple vehicles to pass. However, if you pick up the trail from Beaten Path, it is a narrow, single-lane trail that runs along the gas li...
Learn more about Shelby Drive

Strickland Road is a connector between Heritage Trail and Shelby Drive. The trail is mostly comprised of grass with compact sand underneath. Its wide;however, the trees tend to grow in near Shelby Drive, so the trail may narrow near this intersection. Use caution approaching Heritage Trail or Shelby...
Learn more about Strickland Drive

This is a great little trail that breaks off of Heritage Trail and runs parallel to it. It has a couple of blind corners and is mostly a single-lane trail with areas to pull off to allow traffic to pass. It feels a little slower-paced and avoids some of the mud holes that develop on its bigger broth...
Learn more about Trey's Trail

The Beaten Path lives up to its namesake, the trail is hardpacked sand with multiple mud holes in the middle of the trail; however, they're easy to bypass under normal conditions. There is one large obstacle that comes shortly after the intersection with Blackdog's Boulevard, or before the intersect...
Learn more about Beaten Path

This loop begins and ends at the Heritage Trail intersection. Most of the obstacles on the trail are a few small mudholes that are easily bypassed around the edges. Further down the trail is a larger mud hole with no visible bypass that may pose a more significant challenge after heavy rain. As the ...
Learn more about Cooke's Circle

Mama's Branch is a beautiful trail into a bald cypress swamp land. The trail is subject to flooding, but when it's accessible, this is a highly recommended stop. The trail is mostly soft sand as it meanders through the trees, with several small areas of mud that are easily bypassed. Once at the rive...
Learn more about Mama's Branch

Adventure Alley follows the pipeline from Shelby Drive to Blackdog's Boulevard. The trail is single-lane and comprised of compact sand. The northern section of the trail has several sections of mud and ruts that may require a bypass if not equipped for it. The bypass through the trees can get tight ...
Learn more about Adventure Alley

This trail is a ride around the pasture with no challenge in between. The trail is mostly used as an access to other trails in the system, so some sections have well-worn tire tracks, and other areas are just grass. Do watch for traffic as you approach the highly-used Restoration Trail.
Learn more about Graham's Circle

If you enjoy high berm turns and a little challenge, then you'll love this trail that is surprisingly whoopty-free. Betty's Whoopties is a one-way, single-lane trail that leaves from Fox Hollow. At the bottom of the hill, Fox Hollow makes a hard left turn, and this trail is immediately to your right...
Learn more about Betty's Whoopties

This single-lane path is comprised of compacted sand; however, it is a little grown in, so expect some roof knocking on taller vehicles. The trail takes a sharp left and widens out at the intersection with Betty's Whoopties. There are a couple of small mud holes that have a narrow bypass around them...
Learn more about Fox Hollow

This is an easy scenic drive for those looking for more trails and less mud. The trail is mostly compacted sand and well-maintained, with plenty of room for passing traffic in most sections. You can access this trail via Mercy Lane or Peacemaker's Way. There are also several cut-throughs from Barnhi...
Learn more about Jamey's Swamp Road

This trail is a ride around the pasture with no challenge in between. The trail is mostly used as an access to other trails in the system, so some sections have well-worn tire tracks, and other areas are just grass. Do watch for traffic as you approach the highly-used Restoration Trail.
Learn more about Graham's Circle

If you enjoy high berm turns and a little challenge, then you'll love this trail that is surprisingly whoopty-free. Betty's Whoopties is a one-way, single-lane trail that leaves from Fox Hollow. At the bottom of the hill, Fox Hollow makes a hard left turn, and this trail is immediately to your right...
Learn more about Betty's Whoopties

This single-lane path is comprised of compacted sand; however, it is a little grown in, so expect some roof knocking on taller vehicles. The trail takes a sharp left and widens out at the intersection with Betty's Whoopties. There are a couple of small mud holes that have a narrow bypass around them...
Learn more about Fox Hollow

This is an easy scenic drive for those looking for more trails and less mud. The trail is mostly compacted sand and well-maintained, with plenty of room for passing traffic in most sections. You can access this trail via Mercy Lane or Peacemaker's Way. There are also several cut-throughs from Barnhi...
Learn more about Jamey's Swamp Road