Durhamtown Plantation

Durhamtown Plantation in Union Point, Georgia is one of the largest off-road recreational facilities in the United States, and the most over-the-top family motocross resort experience anywhere on the East Coast. Set on 6,750 acres in Greene County, northeast of Augusta and east of Atlanta, the property runs FOURTEEN distinct motocross tracks (yes, fourteen, that's not a typo), 150 miles of marked off-road trails, a Grand Prix course, a dirt oval, and a dirt drag strip. The scope of the operation defies normal motocross facility comparison. Most U.S. motocross parks have one to four tracks. Durhamtown has 14, ranging from peewee tracks for the youngest riders to Super Cross-spec layouts to the Grand Prix course, letting a single family with riders at different skill levels and bike sizes all ride simultaneously without anyone competing for track time. The Grand Prix course is the standout for cross-discipline riders: a high-speed flowing layout that connects motocross-style sections with woods riding, simulating the kind of GP racing that's popular in Europe but rare in the U.S. Outside of motocross, the dirt oval and the drag strip give riders short-track and straight-line options that you simply cannot find at single-discipline tracks. Pricing structure is straightforward: $25 entry per rider gets you access to the property and the tracks. The race calendar includes the Durhamtown MX Series and special event weekends throughout the year. Camping is the other major draw, and what makes Durhamtown legitimately a vacation destination rather than a one-day track trip. Options range from primitive camping (bring your own tent) to RV hookups (electric, water) to cabin rentals (for families that don't want to camp at all). Most visitors stay multiple nights. The property has restaurants, a general store, swimming pools, a lake for fishing, a paintball facility, and the kind of resort-style amenities that turn a motocross weekend into a full family vacation. The non-riding family members have legitimate things to do, which is rare in U.S. motocross. Address: 2350 Randolph Church Road, Union Point, GA 30669. From Atlanta it's about 90 minutes east on I-20; from Augusta, an hour west; from Athens, 45 minutes east; from Charlotte, three hours southwest; from Birmingham, four hours east. The drive in winds through quiet northeast Georgia farmland, with the kind of small-town character that makes the arrival feel like reaching a real off-road retreat. Greene County is rural, Durhamtown is the major attraction in the area, and the property is essentially self-contained for multi-day stays. Soil is the natural northeast Georgia red clay and sandy mix, with the trails system winding through pine forest and the motocross tracks built across the rolling Piedmont terrain. For a Georgia family looking for a real motocross vacation, or for a visiting rider trailering through the Southeast, Durhamtown Plantation is unmatched. The 14 tracks, 150 miles of trails, full resort amenities, and 6,750-acre scale make it a category of one. Contact: (706) 250-1190 or visit durhamtown.com.