The Devil's Tramping Ground: The Story and What Is True

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The Devil's Tramping Ground is a story told about Western Chatham County, near Siler City, Chatham County. Vote believe it or no way, then see what 3 named sources say is documented.

LegendKind of story
3Named sources
TriangleRegion
Oct 27Checked, 2026

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Local legend. Not confirmed. Just for fun.

No. 4 of 16

The Devil's Tramping Ground

People say the Devil walks a circle in the woods at night, thinking up mischief, and that nothing grows on his path. Tales say sticks and stones left in the circle are tossed aside by morning.

What The Sources Document

NCpedia (Encyclopedia of North Carolina, 2006) describes a foot-wide bare path forming a circle about 40 feet across, about ten miles from Siler City, with only wiry grass growing inside. It reports that soil samples (North Carolina Department of Agriculture, undated) were sterile from very high salt content and that natural salt licks were found nearby, which it calls the most plausible explanation. It cites John Harden's 1949 book and Richard Walser's North Carolina Legends (1980) for the folklore, and also mentions a Native ceremonial dance and a Croatoan link as other tales, which we did not find documented. The Chatham County Historical Association says an article from 1882 described the site much as it is described today, that scientists have yet to say exactly why nothing grows there, and that the site is on private property that visitors have abused, so people should visit only with permission. East Carolina University's Joyner Library (October 22, 2025) also lists it as a circular barren path in a Chatham County forest with many legends about its origin.

Sources: NCpedia, Devil's Tramping Ground (Encyclopedia of North Carolina, 2006); Chatham County Historical Association, Snippets blog on the Devil's Tramping Ground (historical society, secondary); East Carolina University Joyner Library Special Collections, Archives Month Highlight: North Carolina's Haunted Folklore (October 22, 2025).

A Note

The site is on private land. We give no directions and ask visitors not to look for it or enter without the owner's permission; the Chatham County Historical Association says visitors have abused it. The museum in Pittsboro is the public place to learn county history, but its website does not mention the legend, so we do not claim it covers the story.

Its home: Chatham County Historical Museum, Pittsboro. Official page.

On this site: Triangle Events.

Looked for and Not Found

Who owns the land (NCpedia does not say; we do not name any owner)
A state or county designation for the site
The Chatham Historical Association site page confirming the Tramping Ground is covered at the museum

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Where do these facts come from?

From the named sources listed on this page: NCpedia, Devil's Tramping Ground (Encyclopedia of North Carolina, 2006); Chatham County Historical Association, Snippets blog on the Devil's Tramping Ground (historical society, secondary); East Carolina University Joyner Library Special Collections, Archives Month Highlight: North Carolina's Haunted Folklore (October 22, 2025).

Sources

Read on October 27, 2026. Stories are for fun; the facts come from these sources. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? tell us.

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “The Devil’s Tramping Ground”, itsnorthcarolina.com/legends/devils-tramping-ground/ (updated 2026-10-27). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.