Uwharrie National Forest

With more than 50,000 acres and nearly 80 square miles of territory, the Uwharrie National Forest is a treasure trove full of beautiful scenery, wildlife and trails for all sorts of activities. There is ample room for horseback riding, hiking, trail running, mountain biking, hunting, camping, dedicated trails for off-road vehicles and more. Here is a ph # for the Uwharrie National Forest office at 789 Hwy. 24/27 E. in Troy, NC 27371: (910) 576-6391. Here is what an avid hiker/camper wrote about the area 1/3/18: Backpacking in Uwharrie is worth the trip. The lower elevations make it easier to deal with the gains and losses. There’s plenty of water. Campsites are everywhere. Trails are well-marked and well-maintained. It’s clean. And there are many combinations of trails that could be used to create a pretty spectacular hike. If you haven’t already, you should definitely check out the Uwharrie National Forest. Full blog

       HORSEBACK RIDING

One of the most popular places to ride horses in North Carolina, the Uwharrie National Forest has two horse camps and 25 named trails accounting for more than 40 miles of horseback trails. 

       HUNTING/SHOOTING

The Uwharrie National Forest has some great hunting and you can brush up on your shot at the shooting range that is open year round. 

       MOUNTAIN BIKING

Between the Wood Run Mountain Bike Trail system and the Badin Lake Recreation Area trails, there are more than 60 miles of trails for mountain biking in and around the Uwharries. 

       OHV/ATV/DIRT BIKE INFO

The 17+ miles of dedicated Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trails in the Badin Lake Recreation Area are the best in North Carolina and possibly the Southeastern United States with a variety of topography, scenery and difficulty. 

       HIKING OR TRAIL RUNNING

Of course there are many miles of trails for hiking or trail running in the Uwharries that vary in length, location and difficulty.