Trail Overview
Expert riders only! Daniel is one of 3 trails that start with a "D" that the locals know well. This trail sees frequent rollovers and vehicle damage, resulting in its "Black" trail rating. Daniel starts at the Cotton Place trailhead on the east side of the Badin Lake OHV area, within the Uhwarrie National Forest. Starting at the trailhead, the first gatekeeper requires you to choose to stay left at a steep vertical rock climb, or choose a deep off camber V notch. The V notch visually seems to be the easier choice, however the off camber situations are at such a steep angle, rollovers begin here. Next, two sharp ledges with soft, silty soil create dangerous conditions in the rain, with no room to turn around. Following the ledges is a Z-turn that can damage the roof of vehicles as they get off camber and hit trees that line the trail. These are easy to spot due to the worn out spots on the trees bark. Next up is a 3 path hill climb with beautiful views that make Daniel worth the risk. Continuing on you will find a rock slab garden that is significantly easier to traverse down, rather than up. Going up will provide wheel slip in vehicles without lockers, and could have the vehicle's tires barking. If you make it through all of these obstacles, give yourself a pat on the back! Tread lightly, and wheel with friends to stay safe. Badin Lake OHV is closed from December 15th-March 31st.
