North Carolina Trails

Hurricane Creek is one of the more famous offroad trails in the southeastern United States. It lies within the Pisgah National Forest and is neighbored by the Cherokee National Forest and the nearby Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Enshrouded in mountain laurel, you follow the trail's namesake creek, where you hear its rushing waters through your side windows. The real adventure and memory-making experiences unfold as you cross Hurricane Creek several times and encounter obstacles as you find one of the storybook campsites dotted along the creek. Pack the camping gear and camera for this one!

Skirting the northwest side of Longarm Mountain in the Pisgah National Forest, Old Buzzard Roost, also known as Goat Trail, is a spirited offroad trail for new and seasoned offroaders alike. Dense dark green laurels line the trail as it winds in and out, following terrain lines and climbing over 900' in total elevation. Each of its many twists provides a new experience, from rocks to climb over or mud to go through. This is no gravel road, and it is not a stand-alone trail either. You can combine this rugged 4WD trail with other trails to turn a short thrill ride into a multi-day overland adventure that should include Hurricane Creek.

Rocky Top is a rare offroad trail within the Cherokee National Forest of Tennessee. Long stretches of broken rock exposed to midday sun will surely delight anyone used to the mud or gravel roads in darkly shaded hollows that make up most of the trails in the area. As you ascend, and hear the rocks crunch under the tires, the foliage parts, giving you views of the misty-looking Blue Ridge Mountains. Further adding to the rareness factor, continue to Big Fill to give yourself over 9 miles and a full day of an authentic 4WD experience when you are done with this trail.

Fresh salty air, the low rumble of the mighty Atlantic Ocean's surf, and a pristine undeveloped beach await you at Cape Lookout. Uninhabited and reachable only by a small ferry that runs just a few times a day, it is the perfect spot for secluded beachcombing, camping, fishing, bird watching, and shelling. The distance from one end to the other takes all day to drive. There are several historical sights, such as the namesake lighthouse and the Historical Village that once was home to troops staging for their trip to Europe in World War II. It is the perfect location to spend several days relaxing, decompressing, and reconnecting with the most essential things in life.

Big Fill is located in the Cherokee National in Tennessee. It starts or ends at Rocky Top, giving you an adventurous offroad experience when combined. After coming onto the trail from Rocky Top, the terrain change is startling, with the laurels dwarfing your vehicle, the dark shades of green allowing only small rays of sunshine in, and those "am I going to get stuck?" questionable moments. In an area with mostly gravel roads, this is a must-do trail.

Heintooga Round Bottom Road allows you to find solitude in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation's busiest national park. The trail travels downhill for over 16 miles and provides a forest view with glimpses of the Smokys for brief moments. The top two-thirds of the route is one-way only before you level out, and then the road becomes two-way travel while parallelling the Straight Fork Raven Fork River. No camping is along the road unless you have reservations for the Round Bottom Horse Camp.

From I-40, Buzzard Roost can be accessed and connected with the Old Cataloochee Turnpike to enter into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The eastern side is narrower than the western side, only one vehicle wide, as it follows a shelf around the mountains. There are plenty of blind turns that require caution since locals use this road as a shortcut over the mountains. This road is impassable during high-water flow as it crosses the Pigeon River over a short cement bridge designed to let high water flow over it, not under it. Thus, your vehicle will be swept down the river if you attempt crossing during high flow. Two campsites are located on the eastern side.

Pinnacle Mountain road is located along the edge of the Dupont State Recreational Forest. The original forest was 7600 acres and was expanded in 2000 to 10,400 acres. Pinnacle Mountain road is 1 of 2 gravel roads on the property available to motorized vehicles.

Pinnacle mountain road is well-maintained and wide enough in most places for 2 vehicles, so passing is not an issue. This is a great trail if you are new to offroad driving or overlapping and want dirt under your tires. The road itself is easy, and there are areas off to the side that offer more difficulty, but lead to rewarding views. If you choose to do these optional spurs, 4WD and high clearance are needed as they are not maintained.

Yellow Gap Road, in the Pisag National Forest, is known for its fishing along the North Fork Mills River on the east end. There are 14 dispersed designated camping scattered along the trail. Not all are drive-ups, meaning you may need to park and walk up to 50 yards to reach the camp. The road offers highly scenic areas, particularly around the North Fork Mill River and the sections where it passes the Bradley and Yellow Gap Creeks. It connects the North Mill Campground to the Blue Ridge Parkway on the west end. The trial is suitable for any vehicle.

Tellico Road is a graded gravel road that takes you from the Little Tennessee River to the Nantahala River through the Tellico Gap, a trailhead for the famed Appalachian Trail. On the eastern side, you wind through amazing farm country. On the western side, you are greeted with the Whiteoak Falls. There isn't any camping along this road.

Max Patch Road is a gateway into many of the favorite trails within the Cherokee and Pisgah National Forests. The road is entirely gravel and does pass through residential areas. Its namesake, Max Patch, is a grassy summit cleared for pasture land during the 1800s. Today it's a popular hiking area. As a bonus, you will also pass by the quaint Max Patch Pond, supported by a nearby hatchery and filled with Brook Trout. Even though the road does drive through sections of public land, it is not well suited for camping.

Upper Santeetlah meanders through the Nantahala National Forest along Santeetlah Creek passing several historic homesteads. Multiple large shady designated campsites have fire rings and lantern holders.

Webb Mill is a scenic mountain road through the Nantahala National Forest, offering superb views, especially in the Fall. The narrow track twists through the mountains from Andrews across Porterfield Gap to the community of Denton, which boasts a population of "several." There aren't any campsites along this route.

Green River Road is an easy winding route that crosses the Green River offering great views of the river. This is a well-traveled route connecting to Pinnacle Mountain Road located in the Dupont State Recreational Forest. The road is good for beginners or sightseers looking for moving water not far from the road.

Avery Creek is one of the many forest service roads that connect to the Blue Ridge Parkway. When traveling north to south, the road leaves the Parkway and terminates in the south at the White Pines Group Site and Avery Creek. It travels generally downhill and is thick with rhododendron. There are several designated dispersed campsites on the south end, but they offer little privacy. The road is suitable for any vehicle.

The gravel Little Snowbird Road runs through the quaint little community of Denton, which proudly boasts a population of "several." This route continues the offroad connection of the Smoky Mountain 1000 between Andrews and Snowbird. There are not any campsites on this route.

Bent Creek can be used driving out of Asheville, North Carolina to make your way deeper into the forest. It is suitable for any vehicle. There is no camping. Be wary of the many bicyclists using the trail.

Wash Creek starts from the Blue Ridge Parkway and travels downhill for almost six miles before it meets the North Fork Mills River and the North Mills River improved campground. As you pass by rhododendron and laurel, the road has plenty of twists and turns. The trail also has nine first come, first serve designated numbered dispersed campsites, complete with a fire ring. The trail is suitable for any vehicle.

Hurricane Gap Road is a 2-lane gravel road that leaves US 25 east of Hot Springs to the north, taking you up about 1000 feet in elevation to the Rich Mountain Fire Tower Road in the Pisgah National Forest.  There is dispersed camping on Rich Mountain Fire Tower Road. The Rich Mountain Fire Tower is one of only six remaining fire towers along the Appalachian Trail.

The Old River Road winds you along the incredible white water of the rushing Nantahala River. This is a hot spot for trout fishing. There are multiple campsites right on the river bank.

When traveling from south the north, the road rises in elevation as you follow Rockhouse Creek. Hiking trails branch off to Transylvania Falls and Slick Rock Falls. The scenic value makes this a busy road. There are four designated dispersed campsites. The most secluded site is #1 on the north end. The trail is suitable for any vehicle.

148A connects Cold Springs Creek Road with Brown Gap. It is short and has a moderate grade, suitable for any vehicle. A small number of dispersed campsites are found along the road.