Scenic Offroad Drives

GotLime?

GotLime?

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Location
Mooresville, NC
I know there are good posts spread throughout NC4x4 with good forest services roads, gravel roads, etc.

I thought it would be a good diea to share some favorites here, so we'd have them all in one place.

Not really "wheeling spots", but more tame, yet scenic places to drive offroad in the area.

Routes like NC 105, Sampson Rd, etc.

Our plans for tomorrow changed and I'd like to take my kids (11 and 13) out for a day in the woods so I was looking around for some routes.

Links to Google maps, driving directioons and pictures would be great.

Post up some of your favorite drives!!
 
Old nc 105 is probably the best for that around here that I know of. lots of good views and you can walk down and see some of the falls. I believe there is some forest roads on 181 also, but I haven't checked them out.
 
GotLime? said:
That's paved, correct?
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Yes. I've only driven it once, back when I went wheeling at Tellico in the summer of 2003.

My fault. I didn't read your original post completely. I missed that you were looking for non-paved roads.
 
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Pisgah national forest, entrance is down the road another mile from the OHV, road goes through the old Mortimor site, also has a visited center, all gravel and dirt roads. Goes to hwy 90. Take a left puts you going toward black mountain and other areas, take a right takes you out toward Colettesville. Take plenty of extra fuel. There are tons of branch roads that can keep you busy for a long while.
 
Also hwy 90 is all dirt and gravel in the forest. There are other entrances out 181, however some of them get more interesting than you may want.
 
Back this way we have a lot of back roads off of Catfish Lake Rd and the Pollocksville Dirt Rd. There's also 4 lakes back there to look at that form the "paw print". You can see it on a map, looks awesome. Catfish Lake, Great Lake, Little Lake, and Lake Ellis.
 
Stone Mtn near trap hill has lots of dirt roads and scenic views with places to stop and fish/swim/picnic etc.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Back this way we have a lot of back roads off of Catfish Lake Rd and the Pollocksville Dirt Rd. There's also 4 lakes back there to look at that form the "paw print". You can see it on a map, looks awesome. Catfish Lake, Great Lake, Little Lake, and Lake Ellis.
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Is all that in the Croatan NF?
 
That it is! I live just off of Catfish Lake Rd in Croatan. Nice area.
 
GotLime? said:
Not really "wheeling spots", but more tame, yet scenic places to drive offroad in the area.
Routes like NC 105
Our plans for tomorrow changed and I'd like to take my kids (11 and 13) out for a day in the woods so I was looking around for some routes.
Click to expand...

I see you made it out 105 today, was a great day for it wasn't it? We went to Linville Caverns, then the Falls, then to Spears BBQ at 183 and 221, (where we'll never eat again) before heading back home.
 
The-Bull-mac said:
Also hwy 90 is all dirt and gravel in the forest. There are other entrances out 181, however some of them get more interesting than you may want.
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What do you mean by more interesting than you want. Like trails you might have to use 4wd or what. I'm interested.
 
Small world JoeB! My brother in law lived in there too.
 
I was looking at the Pott's Mountain Trail. It looks like that would have to be an overnight trip from what I have seen on the net. It's a 3 hour drive or so each way and some people have said it can take you 4-6 hours to run the trail. It also looks like there are some other trails in the area that could be fun.
 
This was the route I took: http://goo.gl/maps/dz5Ex

Following 181 North, I turned LEFT at the Table Rock Picnic sign. Simpson Creek Rd. Then I followed Table Rock Mountain Road. Very windy graded gravel road with some washboards and a few washout ruts that were nothing for the H3. The last part of the climb to Table Rock Picnic area is paved but very steep grade and tight tight turns and switchbacks. A little hairy with 2-way traffic on one lane road. It was too touristy up there so I turned back down and too the FS road out. That was peaceful and only saw a few campers and parked cars. There were a couple 2 track trails going off the main road that were not gated, posted or blocked that looked worth investigating if I had another 4x4 there. I think this would be a good weekend Expo camping get together and explore the woods. I drove about 5-15mph avg enjoying the sights and smells of the woods. Did not see any wildlife though. Too bad the FS has to grade the roads. Would be more fun if it was more bumpy and lumpy. On the road to the hiking picnic site, I did have a few cars pass or come at me.


http://goo.gl/maps/dz5Ex

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Forest road 187 in Pisgah National Forest North Carolina.
Amazing 18 mile long one lane dirt road that follows a Ridge line. Lots of twists and turns, going up and down and all around. Some great overlooks on the mountains. Only saw some bikers, couple trucks logging and a lost minivan.


The route:

http://goo.gl/maps/cTR6x

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man,you just showed me a weekends worth of riding and exploring. Alot of my brothers in the 26th live up that way and I could leave my tow rig/trailer some place safe and local.Where there places along the routes to camp and such?.
 
There are campgrounds all around from resort style to primitive .

The forest roads are mostly graded gravel, but you take what's open and not gated.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 
A lot of people just set up tents on the sides of the roads where they can find a spot, especially on old 105.
 
Might have to get a run set up for a weekend early in the fall.Nellie is down with body work right now and not expecting to get her rolling till around Labor Day.
 
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