Ghostrider I
I wear many "heads" as I have many vehicles.
I'm itching to go wheeling on Sunday (my birthday). Any place within a 1.5 hour drive of Charlotte? Looking for more trail as opposed to rock.
Where to go
- Thread starter Ghostrider I
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Uwharrie National forest is a good spot, but I believe their off-road trails are closed until spring?
Have a seat in the corner it's time for the Charlotte wheeling talk....... there is nowhere 90 minutes from charlotte to wheel except for Uwharrie, but it's closed.
Pickens and Gulches are about 2-2 1/2 hours though. But I believe Pickens is closed for good. Gulches is pretty decent though.
Pickens and Gulches are about 2-2 1/2 hours though. But I believe Pickens is closed for good. Gulches is pretty decent though.
Ghostrider I
I wear many "heads" as I have many vehicles.
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Of course. Yes, they are closed.
Ghostrider I
I wear many "heads" as I have many vehicles.
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- #5
Where's Gulches?
There is always Hurricane Creek, but it is 3 hours from Charlotte. It's a moderate/easy trail. A few camp grounds located in the area.
Ghostrider I
I wear many "heads" as I have many vehicles.
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I'm leaning toward Gulches.
Gulches is over in Waterloo,SC (south of Greenville)
Brown Mountain and Patriot Off Road parks are fun kinda small but not to far away from each other. Never been and may be more mud but Lake Houser off-road park is also not a bad drive from Charlotte.
Gulches is good and fun but you can run two trails the rest will get your truck in a messy situation. Also it is not driving on long trails it is like top and bottom road and trails connecting it. Then be ready to use lockers and skills.
Ghostrider I
I wear many "heads" as I have many vehicles.
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Hmmmm. No lockers and skill level is novice/amateur.
Ghostrider I
I wear many "heads" as I have many vehicles.
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- #12
After serious consideration, Lake Houser is where we will br going.
90 minutes is tough this time of year, Gulches has some good trails, technical, smaller place. More prone to buggies and rock crawls. How technical do you want to get?
Another option is the Sandhills, about the time you are looking for, south of CLT. Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge - https://www.fws.gov/refuge/carolina-sandhills is the site, they have a lot of dirt roads, mostly doable in cars, but a few are pretty sandy and 4WD required. You can get a map there at the entrance.
Then further south is the Francis Marion National Forest. There are a few loops in there that you can find online tracks for, over 100 miles of them, so lots of options, and likely the only thing open in winter around here. The loops are part of the Low Country Byway, or Francis Marion Overland Trail, you can google or find them in GAIAGPS
Check out this series for info, you may see a few land cruisers too :
It will take you longer, about 3 hours to the edge, but maybe well worth it.
Another option is the Sandhills, about the time you are looking for, south of CLT. Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge - https://www.fws.gov/refuge/carolina-sandhills is the site, they have a lot of dirt roads, mostly doable in cars, but a few are pretty sandy and 4WD required. You can get a map there at the entrance.
Then further south is the Francis Marion National Forest. There are a few loops in there that you can find online tracks for, over 100 miles of them, so lots of options, and likely the only thing open in winter around here. The loops are part of the Low Country Byway, or Francis Marion Overland Trail, you can google or find them in GAIAGPS
Check out this series for info, you may see a few land cruisers too :
It will take you longer, about 3 hours to the edge, but maybe well worth it.
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Sorry, kept updating the one above as memory kept getting back to me. Gulches does have a tendency to close with heavy rain, like expected Saturday, so you may want to call or look up their facebook page for closures. They flood as they are by the creek, and the trails can become have the traction of ice.
Did it again, update, just as I expected:
Did it again, update, just as I expected:
sleepycruiser
I will get by….I will survive -Touch of Grey LC200
That looks awesome and definitely more my speed.
Danton, by the way, my visit to the Sandhills. Might be an interesting drive if it gest wet Saturday. Not Moab, but fun dirt kind of place.
forum.ih8mud.com
Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
Today on whim I decided to go down to this area, looked like a bunch of dirt roads and I needed some solo driving time. It is about 50 miles south of Charlotte, and has over 40K acres of pine forest and sand/gravel roads all over it. I drove about 40 miles of dirt and saw just a little bit...
forum.ih8mud.com
Ghostrider I
I wear many "heads" as I have many vehicles.
- Thread starter
- #17
Lake Houser got the best of me and the Diesel. Kathleen was slightly scared when we pitched 45 +/- degrees. Happy Birthday to me!!
In other words... Got STUCK!! The mud was the consistency of concrete mix. Puddles were deep- 1/2 way up the tyres and I have 16" wheels.
Thank God for this fellow Norbert and his family in their side by side. Yanked me out with me in reverse gear.
OK, Izzy what does it take to be proficient in off roading with these conditions. Tyres are off road and I was in 4Lo. When does your instruction start up?
In other words... Got STUCK!! The mud was the consistency of concrete mix. Puddles were deep- 1/2 way up the tyres and I have 16" wheels.
Thank God for this fellow Norbert and his family in their side by side. Yanked me out with me in reverse gear.
OK, Izzy what does it take to be proficient in off roading with these conditions. Tyres are off road and I was in 4Lo. When does your instruction start up?
Come to some of the ONSC events? Plenty of people willing to give tips for off-road driving ~
Otherwise, get out there and work your way up in difficulty until you get some experience and feel comfortable
Otherwise, get out there and work your way up in difficulty until you get some experience and feel comfortable
Classes restart in March, I think you had to reschedule from last year? I will be there March, April heading back overseas, back in May unless the Sandinistas catch up.
patriot mountain is relatively close, it's a small trail system but seems fun. I'm going up this weekend for my birthday too.
