Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Leggett, North Carolina

The Chowan Swamp Gamelands are a state-administered game area in Gates County, North Carolina. The trail system is seasonal, and one can expect various areas to be open or closed depending on what hunting season it is. The area offers excellent fishing along the Chowan River, along with scenic areas...
Learn more about Chowan Swamp Gamelands

Bear Spotter is a seasonal section of trails in the Chowan Swamp Game Lands. It's a scenic area of the game lands that are generally only open during deer season. The trail starts at the Gatlington Boat Ramp and proceeds down season paths that are primarily hunter access roads and are also designate...
Learn more about Chowan Game Lands - Bear Spotter

This area of the Chowan Swamp Gamelands is a seasonal trail that is open primarily during deer season. As the name suggests, one can expect to see a great many deer. Care should be taken not to strike deer with your vehicle. A wide array of other animals can be seen as well, including bears. Be mind...
Learn more about Chowan Gamelands - Deer Spotter

Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is a series of scenic gravel roads in Tyrrell County, North Carolina. It's located west of Nags Head in the North Carolina Outer Banks. The Refuge offers amazing scenery and views of the local wildlife. One can expect to see alligators, black bears, red wolves,...
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Big Woods Loop is a route that passes through the Big Woods State Forest and Big Woods Wildlife Management Area. The route is a basic forest road, with the surface being slightly rougher on the state forest side. The route passes through typical southeast Virginia woodland and skirts the Big Woods s...
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Upon arrival at Farrior Farm Road, you will be greeted by the Croatan National Forest sign with a noticeably smooth gravel terrain. Approximately 0.5 mile on the left, the Southern New Bern Depot, which is managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, will be located here. Going forward, the trai...
Learn more about Farrior Farm - FS 121A

Located in the northern section of Croatan National Forest, Mill Branch (FS 170) stretches approximately 2.9 miles between County Line Road and Farrior Farm (FS 121A). Recent grading and bulldozing have significantly improved the road surface, eliminating rough patches and large rocks randomly scatt...
Learn more about Mill Branch - FS 170

This road within the Pocosin National Wildlife Refuge area is rather similar to all the others however is very cool as it can connect to a lake within the refuge. With that being said, depending on the time of the year the connecting road was closed due to wildlife habitats. This connecting road is ...
Learn more about Western Road Pocosin National Wildlife Refuge

Located in the northern section of Croatan National Forest, North Little (FS 121-1) extends 2 miles between County Line Road and Perrytown Road. This forest service road is notably wide throughout and provides ample room for two-way traffic and allows vehicles traveling in opposite directions to pas...
Learn more about North Little - FS 121-1

This road within the Pocosin National Wildlife Refuge area starts very similar to other roads driving through farmland, with rivers, but eventually switches into a wetter forest road. The first half of the road is well-kept, and very easy to drive on, however, the second half of the road can get a l...
Learn more about Middle Road - Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Beautiful single-vehicle width track through the forest. The entry/exit route to the northwest is very, very corrugated. But to the south, you'll find one of the widest and smoothest unpaved roads in the country. The trail is pretty straightforward when dry, lots of large potholes punctuate an other...
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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 Croatan National Forest. The first two miles of the trail are this wide road, which can be driven quickl...
Learn more about Tootle Road

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 there is a fence blocking the way. This is about a half-mile section and is a li...
Learn more about Crooked Road