Tucked away in the foothills of the North Carolina mountains rest some of the most scenic and enjoyable trails the Southeast has to offer. We can't decide if it's the tacky orange clay, the steep rocky passes, or just the feeling of real American off-roading that makes us like the Uwharrie National Forest so much. When we received the invite from Kelly Carter we were told that this was a great place for weekend wheeling and would serve as ample vehicle testing grounds before we took the long trip over to the Tellico OHV area.
Fullsize trucks are dying...
Fullsize trucks are dying off like dinosaurs. That's why we were so amped to see Rob Wooten and his '79 F-250 charging the hillclimbs and keeping up on the rocks amongst the sea of midsize trucks.
Vick Radford had no trouble...
Vick Radford had no trouble getting his dual-cased '85 Toyota to crawl up the rocks. From the handbuilt bed to the interior roll-cage, this truck was built for go.
The difference between Uwharrie...
The difference between Uwharrie on a dry day and a wet is extreme. Lynn Rivenbark cruised up this rock face, which, given a few more inches of rain, would have easily turned into a winching obstacle.
One of the reasons for Uwharrie's popularity is that you don't need a fully built rockcrawler to enjoy the trails. We ran into a huge variety of vehicles ranging from stock Land Rovers and Jeeps to fullsize 1-ton trucks. No matter what you were driving, there were plenty of trails for you to enjoy. When we arrived the rain was still coming down at a steady drizzle. We were told that this was a great time to be on the trail because the rain keeps down the dust on the forest roads, the clay becomes tacky to increase the challenge of the hillclimbs, and the rocks stay just dry enough to make for some great rockcrawling
Whether it's your first time on the trail or just another fun run for the books, the combination of Uwharrie's family-friendly atmosphere, genuine Southern hospitality, and great community of wheelers will have you running for the hills every chance you get.
"Canadian Chris" Duggan was...
"Canadian Chris" Duggan was kind enough to haul us around in his mint '89 Grand Wagoneer, which works double-duty as his daily driver and trail toy. The Jeep found itself in a bit of a tipsy situation here, but with plenty of manpower around we were able to keep his Waggy out of the trees and cruising along free of damage.
Proudly representing the 2.5...
Proudly representing the 2.5 low-output sticker on his '89 Wrangler, Erik Francin put the four-banger to work all weekend long. Though we suspect it was not the fastest Jeep in the group, the 5.38 gears and full-width axles did a great job keeping the 39.5 Boggers crawling everywhere Erik wanted it to go.
The rolling hillsides and...
The rolling hillsides and thick vegetation make the Uwharries a great place to bring the whole family and experience the great outdoors. Ronnie Norton spent most of his attention stretching the legs of his long-armed Wrangler over many of the rocky obstacles.
Making it look easy with 2-ton...
Making it look easy with 2-ton Rockwells and 39.5-inch Boggers, Kelly Carter rolled his way over the rocks with ease. Even with the steady drizzle Kelly and his dad, Kent, led the group the entire day with the top down, doors off, and without a single complaint.
The rock ledges on Uwharrie's...
The rock ledges on Uwharrie's Rocky Mountain Loop are a fun challenge. With Honda (the dog) by his side, Shawn Swartz's solid-axle Tacoma continued to impress us with its capability and clean fit and finish.
Proving that a good attitude...
Proving that a good attitude and a smile are all you need to have fun in the Uwharries, Chad Gorman pushed his open-differential four-cylinder where he wanted it. He definitely represents what we mean by "getting it."
The rock gods must have been angry with the Jeep Grand Cherokees that weekend, for the only two poor saps to experience any breakage were the two unibodied Goliaths with us.
The '93 ZJ that belonged to David Farrow gave us a demonstration of what happens when you mix big tires (38s to be exact) with a Dana 30. Luckily he was a prepared wheeler and had a new axleshaft swapped out in about 30 minutes.
On the other hand, Buddy Pettigrew and his '04 WJ (below) were not as fortunate. After he gassed his 37-inch SSRs over a rock ledge, we heard a loud bang, then no movement. The victim this time was a broken tailshaft housing on the back of the transfer case, which resulted in the Grand having to be towed off the trail.