The Uwharrie National Forest is located in North Carolina in the Montgomery, Randolph, and Davidson Counties.

The Badin Lake OHV Area offers 16 miles of trails maintained primarily for 4WD vehicle (i.e., Jeeps, etc), ATV and motorcycle use, toilets, parking areas, information boards and trash collection.

Uwharrie Ranger District
789 NC Hwy 24/27 East
Troy, NC 27371-9332
Phone: 910-576-6391

Primary web site for Forest Service announcements and info: www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/

Forest Service website for Uwharrie recreation: www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/uwharrie/ and then click on "Off-Road-Vehicle Trails & Tips."   These pages include a couple of maps of the trails and how to get trail passes.

Uwharrie discussion and announcement forums: www.UwharrieInfo.us

Please phone ahead to the Ranger office to make sure the Uwharrie OHV Trail System is not under a weather closure when you arrive. The OHV trails are usually closed during the winter (approx mid-December through end of March).

Maps that we have found on-line are:     1. Trail Map     2. Trail Map     3. Forest Map

Nearby towns with motels are Albemarle, NC and Troy, NC.

Eldorado Outpost (4021 NC Hwy 109 N, Troy, NC 27371 ) is the closest and best place for maps and a tenth of a mile from the trails: Find it on Google Maps

Uwharrie Proposed Land Management Plan Available for Public Review and Comment

Forest Service, February 9, 2007

" The Uwharrie National Forest Proposed Land Management Plan is now available for public review and comment. The Proposed Plan is the result of a collaborative effort among the USDA Forest Service, numerous members of the public, and other local, state, and federal agencies. ...
This Proposed Plan focuses around three main themes:
1. Restoring the forest to a more natural ecological condition
2. Better managing heritage resources
3. Providing outstanding and environmentally friendly outdoor recreation opportunities, with excellent trails and facilities ... "

Click here for full Forest Service Press Release

Note: There is a 90-day public comment period

The plan description and web site is at www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/uwharrie_plan/

Our clubs and representatives in North Carolina have been active in the plan formulation for quite some time. However, they can always use help in writing letters or attending meetings. For more information, please contact our representative Richard Queen at

Uwharrie Work Weekend Schedule for 2007

January 2007

The 2007 Uwharrie National Forest Workweekend schedule is as follows. We meet at the Hunt Camp at 9:00am each Saturday and Sunday morning. Free trail riding after the work, free camping at the Group Camp, and free showers are available to all volunteers on the day that they work. Please bring work gloves and your lunch for the day that you attend.

• Jan. 20th-21st (Sawyer only work days)
• Feb. 17th-18th (Sawyer only work days)
• Mar. 17th-18th (St. Patrick's day)
• Apr. 21st-22nd
• May 19th-20th
• Jun. 16th-17th (Fathers day)
• Jul. 21st-22nd
• Aug. 18th-19th
• Sep. 15th-16th
• Oct. 20th-21st
• Nov. 17th-18th
• Dec. 15th-16th (Sawyer only work days)

If you noticed above, we have Sawyer-only work days scheduled while Uwharrie is closed. We will be having Sawyer training class sometime in January or Febuary if you would like to be Certified. The class is limited to 8-10 people per class. Please send me an e-mail letting me know to add you to the list if you wish to be certified for the winter work day work. If we have over 8-10 you will be placed on a waiting list for the training and put into the next available training course. The Jan/Feb date has not yet been set. Once the date and time is set, those available and who wish to take it will be contacted via e-mail for confirmation. If your name comes up and you can't make it, it will be added to the end of the list unless otherwise stated by you.

Please contact our Uwharrie National Forest Delegate, Richard Queen at

Uwharrie National Forest Proposes New Recreation Fees

January 12, 2007

The Forest Service is proposing to add new user fees for four non-OHV recreation areas.

" In addition to the new fee proposals, the current season pass for the Badin Lake off-highway vehicle (OHV) area would also be increased from $30 to $40 a year. The daily pass will remain at $5 per day for use of the OHV trails. "

Click here for the Forest Service proposal

New Motorcycle and ATV Rules in North Carolina National Forests

Forest Service, May 2006

"The following orders apply to the Pisgah, Nantahala, Uwharrie, and Croatan National Forests in North Carolina. This order is in effect from May 12, 2006 through May 12, 2011.
This order applies to all motorcycles being driven off of designated roadways and all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s). ...
Click here for the full text.

Guardrail at Uwharrie?

By Richard Queen, Uwharrie NF Delegate
October 28, 2006

Has the Uwharrie National Forest trail system become so gnarly that we need guardrails to keep us on the trails? Well, in a manner of speaking, yes.
Click here for the full story.

News From Uwharrie

April 2006

Read about the latest happenings and plans at the Uwharrie National Forest trails ... by Richard Queen
click here for details

Proposed Motorcycle and ATV Rules in North Carolina National Forests

March 29, 2006

The Forest Serice is proposing new safety rules to regulate ATV and motorcycle use in Nantahala (including Tellico), Pisgah, Croatan and Uwharrie National Forests. These rules codify the new North Carolina state laws into Forest Service regulations, however the Forest Service is proposing to expand the rules to govern motorcycles, too.

While the new NC state laws are applicable to National Forests, the federal Forests Service usually cannot enforce state laws. Therefore, the Forest Service is proposing their own similar safety rules for ATVs and motorcycles.

You can send your comments to the Forest Service about the new rules. Comment deadline is April 22, 2006.

Click here to read the proposed rules (pages 1 & 2 discuss the NC laws; page 3 describes the proposed Forest Service rules)

Forest Plan Meetings

The Uwharrie National Forest Management Plan - Next Round of Public Meetings!

Tuesday, February 28, 2006 – 6:00 pm– 9:00 pm
Tuesday, March 21, 2006 – 6:00 pm– 9:00 pm

Where: Partnership For Children, 404 North Main Street, Troy, NC

Meeting details: click here

For more information please contact our Uwharrie representative, Richard Queen at .

Our New Uwharrie Representative

by Richard Queen,
December 2005

I would like to take an opportunity to introduce myself to the SFWDA family. I am Richard Queen from Charlotte, NC. My home club is the Carolina Off Road Extremists (CORE) of which I am the Public Relations Officer but I am also a member of The Carolina Trailblazers and the American Jeepster Club. I’ve been wheelin’ Jeepster Commandos since I was 14 years old and have not been cured yet!

My home trail system is the Uwharrie National Forest but I do my best to make a few long range trips each year. The Dixie Run is always on my schedule and I’ve made trips to Windrock, Blairsville, Crackers Neck and Callalantee, Robbinsville etc.

Back to Uwharrie…I have taken on the post of the SFWDA Uwharrie National Forest OHV area delegate. As it was explained to me, I won’t be taking on any additional responsibilities, I just get a snappy new title for my efforts!

We hold “Work Weekends” rather than “workdays”. Our trail system is very populated as it is centered between three major metropolitan areas in the Carolinas and members of the OHV community swarm to the Uwharries for OHV recreation, camping, hiking, horseback riding, watersports, etc.,

Work weekend participation is a great way to “give back” to our pastime and builds a strong bond between us, the OHV users, and the community. The Uwharrie Forest Rangers work hand in hand with us on all projects and we are glad to be affiliated with them. Workday participants are allowed free trail riding for the day that they attend and free camping and shower facilities for their overnight stays. The daily activities (work) usually last about four hours and then we hit the trails for some 4wd fun!

Stock vehicles are welcome and no experience is necessary for the work at hand. We build fences, construct environmentally friendly water crossings, pick up trash on the trail, mark trails, create and maintain camp areas, and a whole lot more. Please attend at least ONE workday in ours or YOUR local trail system each year. It shows the Forest Service and the general public that we are responsible OHV users that are committed to preserving our public lands and our rights as US citizens to enjoy the freedoms that we, as Americans, are entitled to.

For 2006 we have a total of eight work weekends scheduled:

• April 22 - 23, 2006
• May 20 - 21, 2006
• June 24 - 25, 2006
• July 15 - 16, 2006
• August 19 - 20, 2006
• September 16 - 17, 2006
• October 21 - 22, 2006
• November 18 - 19, 2006

Please try to attend. For more information please contact me at

New ATV Laws

December 1, 2005

The State of North Carolina enacted new laws for ATV usage. Even though they are state laws, you must obey them on Forest Service lands like at Uwharrie.

Read about the new ATV laws here.

Summary of 2003 Volunteer Work

Click here to read the 2003 summary.

New Pass System at Uwharrie

Click here to read the details.

Trail Maintenance Schedule for 2004

by Mark Hall, January 4, 2004

The purposes and goals of the Uwharrie Recreation Association are to:

1. Unite the organized recreational users of the Uwharrie National Forest and to promote responsible use and management of the recreational resources.
2. To preserve the balance of recreational use and environmental issues through volunteer activities and responsible planning and remediation, both short term and long term.
3. To provide a valid and reliable interface between the users of the recreational areas and the US Forest Service which is mandated by public law to care for and manage the resources in the US forests in the public interest.
4. To attempt at all times to maintain a favorable relationship with local, state, and federal authorities, to provide whatever assistance possible in the decision-making processes affecting public use issues, and to assist these authorities in times of emergency in the Uwharrie National Forest.
5. To encourage nonaffiliated users to participate in the volunteer efforts on public lands and to become members of existing member organizations of the Uwharrie Recreation Association."

Below are the members who have volunteered their time and effort to the above cause. We also have or will have members in the other groups as well (i.e., Equestrian, Hiker, M-Biker, etc.). Below are those who relate to the 4WD/ATV trails directly:

The much awaited volunteer work weekend schedule is now approved and in writing. We have a two part schedule this year so I will give it to you as such.

2004 Winter Schedule

• January 30 - 31 (previously 23-24) - chainsaw training
• February 21 - 22
• March 20 - 21

No riding privileges will be granted for these weekends. Free camping and showers will be available in Arrowhead campground to those who wish to do so. We are limited to taking 10 vehicles on the trail directly to and from the desired work location. Any overflow will have work around trail heads and/or parking areas.

The January plans have been set ahead of time. We will be having a "safety course" at the Uwharrie work station. (Anyone who needs directions please reply to this with a short message "I need directions") Jan. 23rd will have the written part of the safety course at 6pm while the equipment in hand part will be Jan. 24th. We have been asked to limit those who come so as to not overwhelm he trainers. After discussion we agreed that it would be fair to all if we limited the number to no more than "2" from each affiliated group. (Remember this coarse will also have other groups included who are non-OHV oriented.)

2004 Season Schedule

• April 17 - 18
• June 19 - 20
• July 17 - 18
• August 21 - 22
• October 16 - 17
• December 11 - 12

July and August have been set as project "Clean Sweep".

We will be meeting each morning at "Eldorado Outpost" at 9:00am. Camping will be free to volunteers at Group Camp site "C" on the above scheduled dates only. Showers are available free at Arrowhead Campground. Volunteers can also ride the trails for free for one whole day. Volunteer hats are also available to those who choose to help out.

As of this writing a date on the next "Pay Pass" meeting has not been set. As soon as we have a date in hand for it we will pass it on to you.

Passing of a Friend

October 2002

With deep sorrow we learned of the passing of Jake Cebula, District Ranger of Uwharrie National Forest in October 2002 after a work weekend with the North Carolina 4WD clubs ...
click here for more