Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Sandyfield, 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

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

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

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

Turning off of Hill Field, you will access Collins Road, which is mainly flat from end to end. You may have to pull off for others to pass, but this road is part of the Croatan Gamelands. This is where hunters might be seen occasionally from the road or woods.
Learn more about Collins Road - FS 146A

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

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 road can be accessed by nearly any type of street-legal vehicle, however, be cautiou...
Learn more about Holston Creek

A well-maintained gravel road that leads to the Haywood Landing. This is located in the Croatan National Forest with a gameland surrounding the area. This section may get busy with the boat access down the road, but with enough room to pull to the side, others can safely get through. No hard bumps o...
Learn more about Loopy - FS 157

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 as you start to gain speed along the road. The campsite at the end is only suited for tents or class B or small...
Learn more about Long Point

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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