My brother-in-law is from Colorado and Utah and has a nice expedition-type vehicle setup and loves offroad adventures in the middle of nowhere and camping out of his truck. He asked me where the nearest place to go is, and I have no idea.

Does anyone know where the nearest place would be? I can't think of anything in NC, but how far would he have to go?

1/2/2014 1:33:30 PM

Uwharrie National Forest

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recreation/horseriding-camping/recarea/?recid=48934&actid=30

1/2/2014 1:40:28 PM

oh, i thought they only allowed camping in designated areas, I didn't know they had dispersed camping in Uwharrie.

Is it like the Brown Mountain area where you are just pulling off the side of a road and camping where everyone is driving by you all the time?

1/2/2014 1:52:24 PM

^Correct.

1/2/2014 3:03:15 PM

whatever portion of the outerbanks that the hippies still let you drive on

1/2/2014 3:05:49 PM

Quote :

"^Correct."

eh, probably not what he is looking for then

Outer Banks out of season might interest him.

What's the nearest state that has anything comparable to what he liked out west?

[Edited on January 2, 2014 at 3:10 PM. Reason : I already told him "probably those states you liked out west"]

1/2/2014 3:09:52 PM

you can't camp on the outer banks except at designated spots.

1/2/2014 3:41:12 PM

Just a shot in the dark, but I bet you can probably do this type of camping in WV.

1/2/2014 3:56:51 PM

Quote :

"you can't camp on the outer banks except at designated spots."

cape lookout national seashore has wide open primitive camping. there are two vehicle ferry services.

http://www.nps.gov/calo/planyourvisit/camping.htm

1/2/2014 6:39:44 PM

Quote :

"Just a shot in the dark, but I bet you can probably do this type of camping in WV."

WV has a fantastic network of ATV trails for this, but I don't know about licensed ORVs. The Hatfield McCoy trail is ATV/UTV only. The Outlaw Trails are pretty much anything goes, but I can't really see taking a truck out there. I've only been a couple times and I didn't see anything except ATVs/UTVs.

Maybe some of the Harlan KY trails? Black Mountain claims to have over 150 miles of trails, but I've never been.
http://www.harlancountytrails.com/offroad.php
http://www.harlancountytrails.com/blackmountain.php

[Edited on January 2, 2014 at 6:59 PM. Reason : l]

1/2/2014 6:54:43 PM

no expedition-style stuff on the Outlaws/Hatfields....same thing at Harlan, iirc.

1/2/2014 7:26:03 PM

Quote :

"cape lookout national seashore has wide open primitive camping. there are two vehicle ferry services. "

That's on the core banks, not the outer banks. Anywhere along the outer banks that allows ORV access prohibits camping and carries a hefty fine. I've slept all night in a camping chair in front of my fishing rod outside of Avon a couple times, but setting up a tent will draw the park rangers to you.

1/2/2014 9:18:25 PM

Although it would be pretty neat for someone who's never done it, especially from Colorado area, pretty much anywhere on the outer banks you can drive AND camp, you cant park the vehicle on the beach overnight. Which means driving/fishing/setting up camp then driving your vehicle out back off the causeway and hoofing it back to camp, then vice versa. Plus its cold as shit with the constant wind out there for the next 3-4 months. I'd vote Uwharrie based on closeness, then OBX for the experience.

[Edited on January 2, 2014 at 9:27 PM. Reason : slow on the draw tonight]

1/2/2014 9:19:45 PM

^^come the fuck on, man

Quote :

"Towns and communities along the Outer Banks include (listed from north to south): Currituck Banks peninsula[edit] Sandbridge Carova Beach Corolla Bodie Island[edit] Duck Southern Shores Kitty Hawk Kill Devil Hills Nags Head Roanoke Island[edit] Manteo Wanchese Hatteras Island[edit] Rodanthe Waves Salvo Avon Buxton Frisco Hatteras Cape Lookout National Seashore[edit] Portsmouth Island (uninhabited) Core Banks (uninhabited) Shackleford Banks (uninhabited)"

1/2/2014 10:49:49 PM

the two great ENC arguments: best bbq and where the fucking outerbanks ends

1/2/2014 10:55:43 PM

^^That list is missing Ocracoke. If anyone tries to say Ocracoke isn't in the Outer Banks but fucking Shackleford Banks is, that's beyond nuts.

1/3/2014 12:35:05 AM

It doesn't matter where the Outer Banks ends, I understood his reply and it was helpful (and it looks like the website says primitive camping is allowed in other parts of the seashore too)

I'm not finding anything in any states around here so far, and he's not having luck either. He's considering just renting a garage back west and just flying out when he wants to go camping but his wife doesn't like the idea.

1/3/2014 9:48:34 AM

[pause for asshole comment]


....sounds like he needs a new hobby.

1/3/2014 10:39:14 AM

Ocracoke is the end of the outer banks.

1/5/2014 9:40:19 PM

pretty stupid thing to argue about. either way, Core Banks/Cape Lookout is an excellent place to go camp.

1/5/2014 10:21:45 PM

it's actually a very relevant point to argue about, because the Outer Banks ORV passes that you have to get from the National Park Service offices to be able to drive on the outer banks are only valid from Oregon Inlet to Ocracoke, and all of the designated ORV areas on the outer banks do not allow camping. What you initially suggested could result in someone getting fined heavily.

1/6/2014 10:49:21 PM

No, its a dumb thing to argue about. So shut the fuck up, no one cares what you think.

1/6/2014 11:21:15 PM