Birkhead Wilderness Route
Birkhead Wilderness Route is a State Scenic Byway in North Carolina. Within North Carolina it covers roughly 13 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Birkhead Wilderness Route with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Birkhead Wilderness Route is a 14-mile North Carolina scenic byway through the Uwharrie National Forest, named for the Birkhead Mountains Wilderness it borders. The main leg follows High Pine Church Road for about 9.5 miles, with an extension along Pisgah Covered Bridge Road adding another 12.5 miles through the forest. The Birkhead Mountains Wilderness itself, a 5,100-acre roadless area in southern Randolph County, protects part of the Uwharrie Mountains, among the oldest mountain ranges in North America, worn down over hundreds of millions of years to low, rounded ridges. Near the community of Lassiter Mill, the drive passes through a mix of hardwood forest, open pasture, and scattered rock outcroppings, with access to hiking trails, including the Birkhead Mountain, Robbins Branch, and Hannah's Creek trails, that together cover about 10 miles of the wilderness. It's a quiet, low-traffic route through central North Carolina's oldest geology, appealing more to hikers and backcountry campers than to travelers looking for a quick scenic loop.
- 14 miles (High Pine Church + Pisgah Covered Bridge Rd)
- Uwharrie National Forest
- Birkhead Mountains Wilderness (5,100 acres)
- Uwharrie Mountains (ancient range)
- Lassiter Mill
- Birkhead Mountain / Robbins Branch / Hannah's Creek trails
Plan a drive on Birkhead Wilderness Route →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Birkhead Wilderness Route
2 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Birkhead Wilderness Route.
Campsite and lodging links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.