Just bought a 2010 Jeep unlimited and am looking for some trails to go out on. I've done a little searching but can't seem to find anything around here (Fayetteville area/Harnett County). I know there are dozens of trails on Bragg that you aren't supposed to go on, but I'm looking for somewhere that I don't have to worry about an Abrams rolling over my new vehicle

I'm not looking for anything super aggressive, I don't want to dig her up yet, just some casual off road trails.

Anyone have any suggestions within about 2hrs of Fayetteville?

Uwharrie, there's some trails there that are fine for a stock vehicle, and also a ton of regular gravel forest roads too. 

Uwharrie is pretty good. Friend of mine brought a 2011 rubicon stock with just m/t's on the hardest trail out there and had a blast. 

Eta: uwharrie is about 1:30 hours From Bragg 

Uwharrie is only place I know unless you head down to the green swamp.  There might be some places on the game lands there.

Thanks guys, I just checked out Uwharrie online. Looks like exactly what I'm looking for.

If you feel like hitting some good mountain roads later this summer/fall just let me know, we off road on some nice fire roads in the mountains. Lots of fun 

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I went to Appstate in Boone. I know there's a ton of places up there, it's just too far to drive for the day. Uhwarrie is only 90min from me, that's much more manageable. Although, after getting my lift and tires I would definitely be open to riding to the mountains for a weekend trip.

Where were those pictures taken they look a lot like a place called Samson near Boone/Blowing rock?

Yeah, Richland Rd, I think the other end of the road is Samson.

Its Richland Rd on the 321 side and Penley Rd on the Samson community side it is an abandon state Rd and  used to be Richland Rd all the way through from Samson RD to 321. At one time that was the main way to get from Boone or Blowing rock to Lenoir. A lot  of it has been close off over the years your first picture looks like what is know as the first set of hill climbs and their use to be a mud hole between them and the rd. Just down the trail from there are two roads the one on the left would take you down to and across buffalo creek and out to buffalo cove it was close the last time I was in there. The road on the right will take you up behind the hill climbs past an old Hydro power dam way back up in the hollow  where someone has a very nice cabin built in the middle of a big field. I have spent more time 4 wheeling, hunting, and camping in there than I can remember.


It used to be a good place to go in the late 80s and early 90s and required and pretty good 4 wheel drive to get through but as people bought land and built houses and cut timber in there  they improved the road quite a bit and in some places built new roads  because the old ones were so bad.. In the 90s some person who owned thousand of acres in there had a friend pull some strings and the park rangers from Blue Ridge Parkway would come down there and write people tickets for trespassing even though none of it is National park land. That stop after a few locals set fire to the place destroying a lot of timber something that has happen more than once. You should keep in mind that everything from Samson RD to Richland road is private land and while I have never had a problem my self I know several people who were ticketed for trespassing by the Park rangers, Sheriff Deputies and the Game warden.

There's been a lot of discussion on the groups I ride with regarding that, and some of them have connections with local LEOs and people in the know. From they've said they have been told by those in the know people, as long as you actually stay on the main "road" you can't be ticketed for trespassing, its all still state right of way still and not private. Step off the road though and you're on private property. The bridges that cross the creek are also private property, the legal road crosses through the creek instead. All the off shoot trails are private. 

Not claiming that as fact, just what I've been told by the guys we ride with, and I do trust them pretty well. 

I not sure of the legalities of a state right away if the road has been abandon if you look at Richland Rd you will  see it has a state road number of 1372 and Samson Rd has a number of 1526. Penley RD the section that the state abandon has no state number. I have personally seen and read the letter from the State DOT that was sent to the home owners association of the White Rock community that the section of Richland RD which is now called Penley Rd has been abandon and that the State will no longer keep it up. As I said before I know people who got tickets for trespassing who were on the main road I have never had that happen to me but then I have a friend who's family owns some property down there that we hunt on. My point is just be careful I would also suggest that you avoid the natives as they don't care much for strangers.

Well, I put my jeep through its paces last weekend. I decided to go "scout some fishing spots" on Bragg. The jeep really surprised me on just how well it handled the trails. From steep, pine straw covered hills, to huge mud holes, to washed out hills with giant ruts, to "making our own trail". Only trouble I had was when I got stuck in some sand because I forgot to turn off the traction control

I'm even more impressed than I could've imagined. Also rode down to Carolina beach and of course had no problems in the sand. This is the best purchase I've ever made