What I Learned Braving The Gulches

The dash clock in the trusty South magazine Hummer H1 told me it was 9:30 a.m. in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains as we threaded the pavement between trees on the way to Gulches ORV Park. Nestled among the crags and offering a true off-road test for four wheels or two, the park had been calling to me ever since I first heard about it. Some 40 trails crisscross the ravines and mud pits of the property, with difficulty ranging from simple (the two-way “toilet trail”) to enter-at-your-own-risk (like the “testosteroad.”) Looking at the photos and hearing stories of the place, I wasn’t sure how warmly city slickers like myself, with my pristine rig that had never so much as driven on mulch, would be welcomed. I figured this seemed like a good ol’ boys-only kind of place. I would soon be proven very wrong.

Photos from my challenge at The Gulches:

 

 

 

 

 

For more images from our time at The Gulches, check out this gallery.

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