Area Information

AREA

Area Information

Here are the recommended vendors and activities for Uwharrie National Forest and its surrounding areas, with website links included:

Outdoor Activities:

1. Hiking:

Badin Lake Recreation Area Trails (map here)

To learn more about the Badin Lake recreation area follow the link to navigate to the U.S. Forest Service information page. (Click Here)

‍Additional Hiking Options to Explore

‍‍Uwharrie Trail – 20.5 miles (Moderate) From the Wood Run Trailhead on NC 24/27 to the Jumping Off Rock Trailhead on Flint Hill Road. A trailhead is located at the 8/12 mile mark on NC109.
‍Dutchman’s Creek Trail – 9.5 miles (Moderate) Marked with yellow blazes, starts at Wood Run as well. Dutchman’s is a single track that ends 9.5 miles north at Yates Camp, a hunt camp that is open year-round. This trail was designed as a loop system with the southern portion of the Uwharrie Trail.
‍Denson’s Creek Trail – 2.2 miles (Easy to Moderate) This nature hike begins behind the Uwharrie National Forest office on NC 24/27, 2 miles east of Troy. This trail has two loops: a short loop of 0.75 miles and a longer loop of 2.2 miles. It connects, near Denson’s Creek, to the Town of Troy Trail.
‍Badin Lake Hiking Trail – 5.6 miles (Easy) This lakeside trail is a 5.6-mile loop trail following the lake’s shoreline for more than half its distance, then looping back through hardwood forest to Cove Boat Ramp. The trail connects Cove Boat Ramp, Arrowhead Campground, Badin Lake Campground, King’s Mountain Point and a connector trail connects Badin Group Camp. A short loop of the trail circles Arrowhead Campground.
Uwharrie National Forest Trails: (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48934)
Morrow Mountain State Park: (https://www.ncparks.gov/morrow-mountain-state-park)

2. Fishing and Boating:

Uwharrie River

Badin Lake:

Lilly’s Bridge Marina:(https://lillysbridgemarina.com/)

Lake Tillery Boat Rentals– Located at Lilly’s Bridge Marina: 1183 Lilly’s Bridge R. Mt. Gilead, NC is currently the only power boat rental place in the area and they rent pontoon boats only; no jet skis or other boats. 1-844-845-5379 that’s 1-844-tillery.

3. Off-Roading:

Badin Lake Recreation Area OHV Trails:

Wolf Den- 1.3 miles- Easy- Orange
Slab Pile- 1.2 miles- Moderate- Orange
Dutch John- 2.1 miles- Difficult- Orange
Rocky Mtn. Loop- 2.8 miles- Moderate- Orange
Sawmill- 1.1 miles- Moderate- Orange
Falls Dam- 2.8 miles- Moderate- Orange
Dickey Bell- 3.5 miles- Difficult- Orange
Daniel- 21. miles- Extremely Difficult- Orange

‍Click HERE for more info. OHV trail passes are required. The cost is $5 per day or $30 for the season, April to December.

Passes are sold at the following locations:

Discover Uwharrie Welcome Center
Eldorado Outpost, 4021 NC109, Troy, NC
Swift Island BP, NC24/27 and River Rd., Mt. Gilead, NC
Uwharrie Trails General Store, 4568 NC 109, Troy, NC
Uwharrie National Forest District Office, Hwy 24/27, east of Troy, NC

General Info (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48934)

Badin Lake OHV Trails close in December
OHV Trails will reopen in April
OHV annual or day passes are available from the Eldorado Outpost

Uwharrie Trails Map- pdf (usda.gov) Off Roading (discoveruwharrie.com)
Trail Pass- OHV Pass Vendors (usda.gov)

Uwharrie Off-Road Training Center:

Rentals: Uwharrie ATV Rentals

4. Shooting:

The Uwharrie National Forest and its designated Game Lands have some of the best hunting in the state. Trophy deer and wild turkeys are plentiful. The Forest is managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Please note, in addition to the appropriate basic annual hunting license, a Game Lands Privilege license must be obtained to hunt on the Uwharrie National Forest. Hunting passes are available at the places listed below for $10 a day or $60 for the year/season which lasts April 1 – Dec. 15, and trails are open 24/7, rain or shine. For hunting and fishing regulations Click Here.

‍The Flintlock Valley Shooting Range in the Uwharrie National Forest is a partnership between the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission and U.S. Forest Service.

Address: 1359 Moccasin Rd, Troy, NC 27371
Operating Hours: Tuesday – Saturday (10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Memorial Day to Labor Day; Tuesday – Saturday (9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Labor Day to Memorial Day. Closed Sunday, Monday, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Cost: Daily pass fee $10 per person per day; annual pass $60 per year. Passes my be purchased from:

Uwharrie National Forest, 789 NC Hwy. 24/27 East, Troy, NC (910-576-6391)
Uwharrie Sportsman, 4593 Hwy. 24/27 West, Mt. Gilead, NC (910-439-4336)
Eldorado Outpost, 4021 Hwy. 109 North, Troy, NC (910-572-3474)
Uwharrie Trails General Store, 4568 N.C. Hwy. 109 North, Troy, NC (910-571-0100)

5. Mountain Biking:

The Uwharrie National Forest is home to two major trail systems that collectively span over 60 miles of trails open year-round, free of charge.

Woodrun Mountain Bike Trail System offers 22 miles of trails, including the leisurely “Woodrun Road” as well as the more rough and rocky “Keyauwee” and “Supertree” trails.

Woodrun Road–11 miles. Easy. The gated and graveled road heads north from the parking lot.
‍Supertree Trail–5 miles. Easy to Moderate. Connects to Wood Run Road 1.75 miles in. Supertree is 5 miles long. Ride this loop clockwise for more single track downhill. Marked with double white blazes.
‍Keyauwee Trail–6 miles. More Difficult. Connects to Wood Run Road 2.6 miles in. Ride this loop counterclockwise for more single track downhill. Marked with double white blazes.

*To access the Woodrun Trail System, park at the Wood Run Trailhead on NC Highway 24/27, located approximately 10 miles west of Troy and two miles east of the Tillery Bridge. Additional parking is available at the Woodrun Trailhead on NC Highway 24/27.

Badin Lake Recreation Area – Trails are another great option, offering 40 miles of 25 named trails, varying in length and difficulty. Trails are multipurpose and are also used for hiking, biking, OHV, and equestrian use, as marked.

‍Click here to see a complete map of trails within the Badin Lake Recreation Area.

Local Attractions:

SCENIC AREAS

‍Birkhead Mountains Wilderness occupies 5,160 acres in the northernmost lands of the Uwharrie National Forest. In addition to a range of trails, the area is home to many incredible scenic views and vistas, as well as an abundance of wildflowers, shrubs, ferns, mosses, and other plant species flourish along the many creeks and streams that run throughout the forest.
Jumping Off Rock–Just east of the Uwharrie Trailhead on Flint Hill Road, this vista offers scenic views of Barnes Creek. Click here for a map that shows the Uwharrie Trail and Jumping Off Rock Trailhead.
Big Rocks–Also known as Nifty Rocks, this natural landmark is accessible by foot or on horseback, Big Rocks is located .6 miles up Tony Horse Trail from Moccasin Creek Road in the Badin Lake Recreation Area of the Uwharrie National Forest.
Barnes Creek–There is a large swimming hole in Barnes Creek just above the confluence of Poison Fork and Barnes Creek. It is located 0.3 miles west of the Jumping Off Rock Trailhead.
Black Ankle Bog–One of only a few remaining Piedmont bogs, Black Ankle is 284 acres and is owned by The Nature Conservancy. Over the next 20–25 years, the North Carolina Chapter will continue to restore the preserve to its historic condition by setting prescribed burns and replanting longleaf pine tree seedlings grown from local seed sources. The North Carolina Zoo, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the NC Division of Forest Restoration are actively involved in supporting the Black Ankle Bog Preserve and the Nature Conservancy in this restoration effort.
Zoo Zipline
The Zoo‍

SCENIC BYWAYS

‍The Uwharrie Scenic Road takes motorists through both the Uwharrie Mountains and the area known as the “Carolina Slate Belt” along N.C. 49 between Charlotte and Asheboro. Begin following the route at the byway’s northern end at the intersection of N.C. 49 and U.S. 64. Travel south along N.C. 49 toward Concord. Many buildings and fences seen throughout these rolling hills were built from slate, a type of metamorphic rock. South of Asheboro, travel through the Uwharrie National Forest and view the Uwharrie Mountains. These isolated peaks were formed several hundred million years ago by volcanoes, and the mountains have survived erosion and weathering over the centuries.

‍Be sure to check out the Flint Hill Ramble, part of the Sandhills Scenic Drive

More details about these roads can be found by downloading the North Carolina Byways Guidebook available here.‍

Other scenic byways to explore include: