Pea Ridge Military Road Historic Circuit

The Pea Ridge Military Road traces the footsteps of Confederate and Union forces through the rolling Piedmont between Greensboro and Burlington, following the original wartime supply route that connected Camp Pettigrew to the railroad depot. Stone mile markers from 1863 still stand along sections of the route, and you’ll cross the same creek fords where cavalry units watered their horses. The technical highlight comes at Reedy Fork Creek, where spring floods regularly wash out the crossing, leaving behind a boulder-strewn challenge that demands careful line choice and momentum management.

This moderate trail requires high-clearance 4WD for the creek crossings and muddy sections that develop after rain. Private landowners have kept portions open through handshake agreements, so respect gates and property lines religiously. Spring through fall offers the best conditions, though winter reveals the earthworks and old campsites more clearly through bare trees. What you get is a genuine piece of Carolina history where you can still see musket ball scars in the old oak trees and camp where soldiers once slept under the same stars.