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ORV OBX

Discussion in 'Off-Roading & Trails' started by 1911, Jul 7, 2013.

  1. Jul 7, 2013 at 8:17 PM
    #1
    1911

    1911 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thought I would pass along a few pics of our summer vacation in the Outer Banks last week.

    While we had a house down in Nags Head, all but a fairly short stretch of beach was closed to ORV at the time around the Oregon Inlet ("we are from the government and we are here to help you").

    Did manage to head up to Corolla a couple of days and hit Carova Beach. Carova has roughly a dozen miles of beach that is open to ORV 24/7 with no permits and runs all the way up to the VA border.

    The sand conditions were quite varied, some fairly smooth and hard packed, but mostly very, very soft and easily rutted sand. The soft stuff can be a real eye opener for those 4x4s and especially all wheel drives that choose to not air down. An all wheel drive with limited clearance and full pressure tires would be lucky to make it much past the entrance ramp!

    The first day I aired down (Nitto Terra Grapplers) to 12 psi, ran in 4 hi with ATRAC on, I do not think I could have got stuck if I had tried, very sure footed, very pleased.

    The second trip down I decided to try 20 psi (what the signs recommend), at the higher pressure I could tell a real difference. While I had no problems and never really felt I was going to, still you could tell you did not have the margin of error you did at 12 psi.

    Not too many vehicles out either day and lots of open beach to yourself, really was nice late of the afternoon/evening. This was a great time for the kids to fly kites till dark with not another soul around. The wild Mustangs also seem to come down to the surf mostly later in the day.

    There is also a neighborhood behind the dunes that stretches most of the way up to the VA border. Some beautiful homes that range from very nice to some giants that have 20+ bedrooms. This area is isolated and cut off from all roads of any type, the only access other than boat to it is by driving down the beach for about a mile or so from where the roads ends.
    Once in the neighborhood it is laid out with street names, but all of 'roads' are just sand trails behind the dunes, lots of great places to explore here as well.

    Here a few pics of my Taco from the trip.

    [​IMG]

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    Last edited: Jul 7, 2013
  2. Jul 7, 2013 at 11:22 PM
    #2
    1911

    1911 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    A few more

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2013
  3. Jul 8, 2013 at 6:57 AM
    #3
    BlueT

    BlueT Well-Known Member

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    nice pictures
    We very often stay in Carova (more peaceful than most of OBX) Kids love it, i love driving on the beach although by the end of the week I try to limit trips.
    Some of the sand there can swallow half of the truck very quickly. I had seen everybody get stuck including Police. Most trouble spots are around ramps. If it is used very often it will have sugar type sand.
    AWD is pretty much useless there with exception of AWD LC. :)
     
  4. Jul 8, 2013 at 9:50 AM
    #4
    ghostrid3r

    ghostrid3r Active Member

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    Looks like you had a great time in OBX. I consider Corolla to be tame compared to Oregon Inlet beach in terms of deep sand & getting "bogged" down as I've seen tons of folks getting stuck just trying to make it to the dunes/beach. You definitely need to air down in Oregon Inlet beach.

    Everytime I goto Corolla I never need to airdown and don't believe it is a must for most stock 4x4s. As for AWD vehicles, those people crack me up when I drive by and see them trying to dig out or end up having to get the local tow truck to yank them out.. :D

    I've been going to OBX since I was a kid and definitely a must go to spot if you have a 4x4 and/or can't stand the crowds at OC, VA beach, AC, and just want some peace n quiet vacationing. The locals are some of the friendliest people I've run into while traveling. :)
     
  5. Jul 10, 2013 at 11:51 PM
    #5
    Khaos

    Khaos Big Member

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    Any 2wd friendly areas at OBX? Always wanted to go there. Thinking possibly next vacation.
     
  6. Jul 11, 2013 at 8:55 AM
    #6
    jds0912

    jds0912 Well-Known Member

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    Been going to OBX since I was a kid. Heading back the second week of August.

    Its a shame what they have done to restrict access, and the ORV permit is a joke. That being said, we always stay in Frisco where there is still a little beach access. Though they closed "the point" which was pretty much the greatest fishing spot in OBX.

    This is from last summer. We do the beach in style (mind my brothers heap).
    [​IMG]
     
  7. Jul 11, 2013 at 11:17 AM
    #7
    1911

    1911 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    There are certainly sections of the beach (at least at Carova) that a two wheel drive might do okay in, the problem is getting to it!

    Way to many areas you would have to go through that a two wheel drive would get stuck in. To be honest, the first couple of hundred yards of where the ramp leads from the road to the beach would probably be a real issue, especially if you stopped for any reason.
     
  8. Jul 13, 2013 at 4:04 PM
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    StickShifty

    StickShifty Well-Known Member

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    looks great, would love to go down to OBX. here in Jersey i have never gotten stuck and not even close. the whole trick is to air down and keep the wheel spin to a minimum.

    i personally would not take a 2wd in the sand, too risky. you need the 4wd to keep you on top of the sand.
     
  9. Jul 13, 2013 at 4:29 PM
    #9
    jparf

    jparf blissfully biased

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    Great pics.

    I used to drive my xTerra on the same stretch of beach 8-9 years ago and my brothers wrangler before that. If we go down next year I'll def be taking the Tacoma. Some of the houses on the OVR beaches you can rent which would be sweet.

    Like others have said I'd never drive a 2wd on the beach. Sand is like nothing you've driven on before. I wouldn't even take my wife's Forester on it. The packed stuff and near the surf is fine. The loose stuff is what gets you. Never got stuck in the X or Jeep. Needed 4lo though.

    Happy trails.
     
  10. Jul 13, 2013 at 4:41 PM
    #10
    sander1036

    sander1036 Well-Known Member

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    Nice! I stay in Nags Head most of the time but we stayed in Corolla 2 years ago and ran the ORV beach I love how quiet it is up there.

    I was under the impression that you needed a permit for the beach driving now, am I wrong?
     
  11. Jul 13, 2013 at 4:59 PM
    #11
    Texoma

    Texoma IG: Triple C Chop Shop

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    I'm near that area alot, and haven't had a chance to go enjoy it. I will find time eventually, great pics by the way.
     
  12. Jul 13, 2013 at 8:02 PM
    #12
    Khaos

    Khaos Big Member

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    Been driving 2wd Toyotas in the sand since I was 14. Airing down makes all the difference, that and knowing what sand you cannot do.
     
  13. Jul 13, 2013 at 8:16 PM
    #13
    1911

    1911 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the nice comments on the pics.


    Permit is required on all of the beaches open to ORV that are part of the National Seashore or Parks system (Oregon Inlet and south), all the beaches north of say Nags Head are state controlled and do not require permit.
     
  14. Jul 13, 2013 at 8:42 PM
    #14
    1911

    1911 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Sand is like snow, there are all kinds, the stuff down there, especially at Oregon Inlet is powdery like sugar.

    Here is but a taste...

    http://vimeo.com/29529429
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2013
  15. Jul 13, 2013 at 8:47 PM
    #15
    1911

    1911 [OP] Well-Known Member

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  16. Jul 15, 2013 at 10:00 AM
    #16
    BlueT

    BlueT Well-Known Member

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    I think bottom line is that if you own Honda, or 2wd vehicle none of those places are for you. :D
    Entrance to the beach on Rt12 is the awesome spot. One time I took my beach chair and cold one and just seat there watch people get stuck. Somebody should sell tickets just for that. ;)
     
  17. Jul 19, 2013 at 8:27 AM
    #17
    ghostrid3r

    ghostrid3r Active Member

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    Same goes for highlanders.... :p

    [​IMG] Powered by VideoBam - Free Video Hosting
     
  18. Jan 13, 2014 at 9:50 PM
    #18
    1911

    1911 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I resurrected this old thread on the Outer Banks to compare it with the sand we encountered at Daytona Beach.

    This past summer we vacationed at OBX and did some driving on the beach, as described in the post above, even with my Tacoma it would have been dicey to not air down your tires. If not real careful it would have been so easy to get stuck at full pressure. Once you got down to 18 PSI or better yet 12, it was no real problem, however I would never have dreamed of trying in my wife's AWD Highlander.

    Over the Christmas Holidays we took the kids down to Disney World, on the way I timed it so we got to Daytona just as the sun was coming up. Christmas Eve day we drove up and down Daytona Beach before heading on to Orlando, had the beach to ourselves!

    Hard to believe the difference in the sand, much more like a hard packed dirt road, do not think you could have gotten stuck in her Highlander if you were trying. Would not think twice about taking her VW Beetle on it as well.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    One funny side note, about the only thing besides us on the beach early that morning was a police/lifeguard truck. Passed him going up and waved, got no response. On the way back I figured out why, he was holding a handheld radar gun and trying to hid it on the window sill behind his side mirror, guess they take that 10 MPH speed limit seriously! Looking at the pic of the beach above, would seem a bit anal that morning!
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2014
  19. Jan 13, 2014 at 10:01 PM
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    uscg2008

    uscg2008 Well-Known Member

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    Love the obx went a couple times when I was at school in Elizabeth city.

    DSCN0998_1b1473f43684507054e32bd47eea5eae6b08df27.jpg
    The wife driving
    DSCN0993_92f9a0fc25af724f212581a55ce05c153b16eed5.jpg
    DSCN0988_eb58604f069cb73aeb3b41533c7af74283e56608.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2014
  20. Jan 22, 2014 at 2:02 PM
    #20
    yesmar

    yesmar Well-Known Member

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    These pics were from this past thanksgiving, Duck has basically been my second home my entire life during the off season.
    Carova
    D8C415E1-ACC9-4216-A120-91A467077955_zps_3018616371b66da7549045282183345a0ceb36c4.jpg

    A1A83032-3CE8-4D16-9EDD-B16DA4582D62_zps_b50edd4f1b21e851f837c7732e6c10c0b88d820c.jpg

    C2BCF84D-F88A-446E-93B0-F20C34FEE2A7_zps_358749f2040701e45f4843224ac9649334783c70.jpg
    Pea Island
    0FC04BE7-809B-41CE-BEB8-FABFE2602B09_zps_ccf1c36b255cb791b18cef60189779151d3eb1d7.jpg

    0C5DDEB7-2087-4EFC-9639-73351B974252_zps_14b0d769a5c985eaeb92affa7cc7e7d00aae9727.jpg

    CB5F8FF5-5216-4F40-8D34-A898403D3087_zps_fc5571103ee80382b5d21c29f2fd40973a4ca162.jpg

    92A49BDA-BE69-40E4-88B6-BFCAAF667464_zps_98f9d680882085e96f6950f2d4e97bfe68995c07.jpg


    You can see the difference in how soft the sand if from northern obx to south
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2014

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