Uwharrie National Recreation Trail

[tucker0104]

I was thinking about hiking the Uwharrie National Recreation Trail next week and wanted to get others point of view who have already hiked it. Is it a pretty hike? I am just trying to get a quick hike in and it is close to Charlotte where I live. Thanks. Please give me your opinions.

[Tennessee Viking]

I day hiked from Ophir Road to a large campsite about 2 miles in. Its a good overnight trail. Much of the Uwharries is a hunters paradise. Its only actively hiked on the weekends. As for views, it is lacking. Very wooded. I heard people suggest the Dutchmans trail is a bit more scenic.

You might also want to try walking the Birkhead Wilderness near Asheboro. It has access points all around it.

South Mountain Park and the SC Foothills have some good trails.

[tucker0104]

Thanks for the recommendations

[Gramps]

I have a book called "Uwharrie Lakes Region Trail Guide" by Don Childrey. It is available at most outfitters. It is very comprehensive with excellent details on accessing the many trails in the area. Happy Trails!

[Uncle Cranky]

The Uwharrie trail is an S shaped linear 23 miles one way. The Dutchman's Creek trail connects and crosses the southern half of the Uwharrie to form a large figure 8. The Northern half of the 8, especially the Dutchman's Creek section is the less traveled and more remote part. As already mentioned, it's heavily wooded and can be hot in the summer time. I have hiked there in the summer and found the southern loop of the 8 the most traveled and the northern less so. One weekend in August I only encountered 7 hikers 5 of them on the southern loop. The best time to hike there for views is in the spring when the weather is cool and the leaves haven't come out...plus no bugs. Fall is good for foliage and temps. Pick up the guide book suggested it's really helpful. There are also about 13 miles of single dirt track mountain biking trails too. By the way the Birkhead wilderness trails are no longer connected to the Uwharrie trail to the south but I hear that the Forest Service is working with landowners towards a link up so that might be an option in the future.

[Sweet Potatoes]

The loop makes for a good weekend trip. The trail is prone to being very warm and completely waterless. I have always had a little trouble navigating to the southern trailhead and the trail route is at 1 or 2 points pretty confusing. Small hills but the trail is still moderately difficult, IMO.

[coastalhiker]

I backpacked the Uwharrie-Dutchman's Creek loop, about 20 miles roundtrip, last october with my two 12 year old scouts...we had a good time, its a pretty hike, fairly well marked...water was limited, but there was enough in some of the creeks that we were fine. Several good campsites and we saw few other hikers. We accessed it at the trailhead of Hwy 24 west of Troy. The book by Don Childrey is a very good one and if you can find him online (lives in the Raleigh area) he will sell it to you and mail it to you cheaper than amazon will!