Uwharrie OHV Trail Complex
The Badin Lake OHV Trail Complex in Uwharrie National Forest is North Carolina's most celebrated off-road destination: 17 miles of severely rocky, root-crossed trails concentrated in Montgomery County, approximately 60 miles east of Charlotte near the town of Troy. This is the only designated OHV system in the NC Piedmont, and terrain is notoriously technical: narrow single-track climbs over exposed quartzite ridges, loose shale descents, and boulder-strewn creek crossings that punish stock machines and reward those with suspension and lockers. The area draws a large Jeep and 4x4 following alongside ATV and UTV riders willing to accept the challenge. Trails are loop-based and interconnected, rated mostly Difficult to Most Difficult; no beginner-friendly warm-up loops exist here. A Recreation.gov day-use permit is required ($5/day or $30/season). The Badin Lake Campground adjacent to the OHV trailhead is the staging area for multi-day trips. Managed by the Uwharrie National Forest Ranger District, National Forests in North Carolina.