Getting Oriented
Gulches ORV Park sits on Indian Mound Road outside Waterloo, an unincorporated community in Laurens County in South Carolina's Piedmont, about 5.5 miles south of Laurens and roughly an hour from Greenville. The park's 80 acres border the Reedy River and were reclaimed from cutover farmland into a network of red-clay gullies, hill climbs, and rock outcrops. South Carolina's state trails program and multiple off-road organizations cite it as the only place in the state where full-size 4x4 trucks and Jeeps can legally run alongside ATVs, UTVs, and trail bikes. The state's national forest OHV systems (Enoree, Parsons Mountain, Cedar Springs, Wambaw) are all restricted to vehicles under 50 inches wide.
Trail Overview
More than 50 named trails cross the property, marked on a ski-resort-style scale: red for easy dirt and gravel, then blue, black, double-black, and triple-black for the hardest rock gardens and hill climbs, where a winch is standard equipment rather than a backup plan. The easy and intermediate routes loop past the advanced obstacles, so riders in stock rigs can watch built trucks work a climb without leaving their own trail. The park is a certified Jeep Badge of Honor trail, giving newer drivers a structured way to log runs at their own pace.
Points of Interest
- Reedy River frontage along the park's eastern edge
- Rock-garden and hill-climb obstacles that have hosted stops of the traveling Great American Crawl rock-crawling series (2021) and regular meetups from Upstate clubs
- A visitor center near the entrance where first-timers can get a ranger-led orientation
Where to Camp
A weekend pass includes primitive camping for $50, putting one rig near the river with access from Friday evening through Sunday. RV and travel-trailer hookups (water and electric, no dump station) run $100 for the same weekend. An off-site cabin three-quarters of a mile from the gate is privately rented separately and doesn't include park access.
Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip
- Hours shift weekly with weather; the park posts the coming weekend's schedule on its website and social accounts every Thursday.
- Only ATVs, UTVs, trail bikes, and 4x4 trucks and Jeeps are allowed on the trails; three-wheelers are not.
- Every occupant needs a working seatbelt in the vehicle.
- There's no dump station, and camping requires a paid weekend pass; call ahead to reserve a site.
- Cell service is inconsistent in the gullies; tell someone your riding plan before dropping in.
Fuel and Water
Laurens, about 5.5 miles north, has the nearest gas stations and grocery stores. There's no potable water source at the park and no dump station for RVs, so fuel up and plan tank capacity before arriving. The Reedy River runs along the property but isn't a drinking source.
Nearby
Sumter National Forest's Enoree and Long Cane Ranger Districts, both within about 30 miles, hold South Carolina's other legal OHV trail systems (Enoree, Cedar Springs, Parsons Mountain), though those are limited to ATVs and dirt bikes under 50 inches wide. Lake Greenwood State Recreation Area and downtown Laurens are the closest options for a rest day.
