Brown Mountain OHV Area

The Brown Mountain OHV Area occupies roughly 5,700 acres of Pisgah National Forest in Caldwell County, North Carolina, accessed via NC-181 north of Morganton near the hamlet of Collettsville at the foot of the Blue Ridge. This is the only designated OHV riding area within Pisgah National Forest: 34 miles of trail on forest roads and purpose-built single-track winding through mixed-hardwood Appalachian mountain terrain between 1,200 and 3,500 feet elevation. Trails are rated beginner to intermediate, with wide gravel forest road segments connecting narrower wooded loops with occasional stream crossings. Motorcycles, ATVs, and UTVs are permitted; no full-size 4x4 trucks. The location shares its name with Brown Mountain, famous regionally for the Brown Mountain Lights phenomenon, a scenic draw in its own right. No day-use fee or OHV registration is required for North Carolina National Forest riding. The Mortimer Campground, approximately 4 miles from the trailhead, provides primitive and developed sites for multi-day visitors. Managed by the Grandfather Ranger District.