Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Waves, North Carolina

This is a beautiful sand beach that is a blast to ride on. Cape Hatteras has many access points you can drive on the beach. Ramp 23 is just south of the town of Rodanthe.…
Learn more about Cape Hatteras Ramp 23 to 25

This is a beautiful sand beach. Cape Hatteras has many access points you can drive on the beach. Ramp 25 is just south of the town of Rodanthe. 4x4 is required to be able to…
Learn more about Cape Hatteras Ramp 25 to 27

This is a beautiful beach that is a blast to ride on. Cape Hatteras has many access points you can drive on the beach. Ramp 30 to 32 is just north of Avon. 4x4 is…
Learn more about Cape Hatteras Ramp 30 to 32

This Beach access is only open from October 15- April 14. However, if you are there during this time it's a great way to access Avon Beach and have a front-row seat to an amazing…
Learn more about Cape Hatteras 34 to 38 Avon Beach

Cape Hatteras has many access points you can drive on the beach. Ramp 2 to 4 is just south of the town of Nag Head. 4x4 is required to be able to drive on the…
Learn more about Cape Hatteras Ramp 2 to 4

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is a series of dirt and gravel roads located in Dare County, North Carolina, approximately 45 minutes west of Nags Head in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The roads…
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Portsmouth Island requires a private vehicle ferry from Morris Marina to access and reservation in advance is necessary. A permit is required to drive on the beach and can be obtained through the Cape Lookout…
Learn more about North Core Banks - Portsmouth Island

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…
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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…
Learn more about Western Road Pocosin National Wildlife Refuge

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…
Learn more about Middle Road - Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

The Carova 4x4 Beach is the northernmost portion of NC-12, which runs along North Carolina's Outer Banks. The pavement ends in the town of Corolla, at which point a 4WD vehicle is mandatory to make…
Learn more about NC12 - Carova 4x4 Beach

South Core Banks is only accessible by vehicle ferry. A reservation is required through Cape Lookout Cabins and Camps or the Davis Shore Ferry Service. A beach driving permit (ORV) is required and can be…
Learn more about South Core Banks - Back Road

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…
Learn more about Millis Road (128)

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…
Learn more about Middle Little

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…
Learn more about Chowan Gamelands - Deer Spotter

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…
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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…
Learn more about Chowan Game Lands - Bear Spotter

Pringle Road is a forest service road that provides access to numerous trails and areas within Croatan National Forest. The road itself is well-maintained, with only a few scattered potholes and ruts. Alongside the road…
Learn more about Pringle Road - FS 123

Pringle Road Spur 3 is one of the longer trails in the area, offering a mix of terrain with potential mud pits, whoops, twists and turns, and several campsites. The mud pits are generally dry…
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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…
Learn more about Great Lake Road (126)

This trail offers a fun and flexible driving experience, leading to a cleared area where drivers can explore freely. While the tree line subtly suggests a main path, alternate routes with twists, turns, whoops, and…
Learn more about Pringle Road Spur 2

Branch 7 is a continuation of Pettiford Creek Trail 6 and the Pettiford Creek Eastern Entrance. It's slightly tighter and muddier than Trail 6, offering a bit more of a challenge. A mud hole mid-trail…
Learn more about Pettiford Creek Trail 7

This offshoot from the Pettiford Creek Main Trail connects to the Pettiford Creek Eastern Entrance. The trail consists primarily of sandy double-track, with a few scattered mud pits that add some challenge but are smaller…
Learn more about Pettiford Creek Trail 6

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…
Learn more about Pettiford Creek Main Trail

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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Pettiford Creek Trail 8 acts as a link between the Pettiford Creek Main Trail and Trail 6. This trail is mostly composed of packed sand and follows a double-track layout, offering scenic views of the…
Learn more about Pettiford Creek Trail 8

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…
Learn more about Southwest Croatan National Forest Loop

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…
Learn more about Holston Hunter Trail