Devil’s Tramping Ground: Weird Circle in the Deep Woods

In the dense woods of North Carolina, where the trees loom tall and the air feels heavy, there lies a strange and eerie spot—the Devil’s Tramping Ground. A barren, circular patch of earth, where no plant dares to grow and the soil remains unnaturally bare.

In the deep woods where shadows creep,
And the whispering winds don’t sleep,
Lies a circle, barren, wide,
Where the Devil’s steps collide.

No plant can grow, no tree can stand,
Where his fiery footprints brand.
Each night he walks, a dance of doom,
Under the moon’s cold, ghostly bloom.

Folks say if you sit too near,
You’ll hear him laugh, you'll feel the fear—
For in that place, where time is bound,
The Devil’s tramping on the ground.

What is the Devil’s Tramping Ground?

A mile and half from the Harper Crossroads area of Chatham County you will find an otherworldly circular patch of barren earth in the forest. It’s been described as anywhere from 15’ to 40’ across. Legend says that nothing will grow here, not even weeds. Any plant that’s been transplanted to the circle withers and dies. Animals will not cross the circle. Hunters and their dogs have been chased from the spot, supposedly by a large beast, said to resemble a black bear. Trees will grow right up to the edge of the cursed circle, but never cross it. 

What’s more, any object left within the circle overnight will not stay there. Come morning, the object has been tossed out, no matter its size. Apparently the footpath leading to the circle is also barren. A 1930 newspaper article says that wire grass does grow on a strip of approximately 6 feet of earth surrounding the circle. Locals say this type of grass doesn’t grow anywhere else in the area. In addition, the grass doesn’t stand upright like normal, it is said to lean towards the circle. 

Stories that date back as far as the 1800’s say that the devil comes here to dance. He walks in circles, dreaming up dastardly deeds to exact on poor, unfortunate souls. It’s unknown why this particular piece of earth works so well for Satan’s activities.

History and Lore

Some lore suggests that the Devil’s Tramping Ground is a portal between the living and the dead. Over the last century, people have dug up the circle, looking for treasure. They have found nothing for their troubles. It’s unclear what happened to these daring souls afterward. 

In the 1940’s, Dr. I.E. Miles, Director of the Soil Testing Division for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, performed tests on soil taken from the circle. Results show that the soil is sterile. Plant life can’t be sustained in a soil that is so acidic and low in necessary nutrients, one of the analysts told The Herald-Sun Newspaper in 1946.

Naturally, there is also a theory that the spot was used by aliens to land their UFO. Their intergalactic technologies somehow damaged the ground in a permanent manner. It’s unknown how extraterrestrial visitors and the devil are linked, but the galaxy holds many mysteries.

One newspaper column from 1980 claimed that the reason nothing much will grow at the site is because there once was a mule-powered mill there. The mules would walk in a circle, lick salt and then dribble the salt as they walked. It built up over time. That sounds reasonable, but it’s certainly not any fun.

Native Land

A separate legend says the circle known as the Devil’s Tramping Ground was sacred to the Native Americans who lived in the area before being forced out. A tribe buried their chief in the center of the circle. Other stories claim the area was a meeting place for the Native Americans and the circle was formed by their ceremonial dances. The local tribe was the Sissipahaw, also referred to as Saxapahaw and Haw. Unfortunately not much information is available about them. 

They must have been a significant tribe at one point, as the Haw River is named after them. Additionally, the location of their former village, referred to as Haw Old Fields in 1728, was recognized as the most fertile land in the entire region.

Songs and Stories

Tommy Edwards & The Bluegrass Experience have a song about the site, called The Devil’s Tramping Ground. Lyrics include: “Some say they hear the Devil laugh as he walks around. So don’t go near that evil spot where Satan can be found.”

Paranormal investigator Wyatt Dowdy documented his overnight stay at the tramping ground for his YouTube channel, Deep Chatham Paranormal. Speaking to Chatham Magazine about the eerie quiet of the circle itself,  “It makes everything echo,” he says. “I’ve never seen a breeze blow through the circle, either. It’s especially spooky when the sun goes down.” Wyatt says he heard voices just beyond the edge of the trees.  

You can watch his video here. 

Devils Tramping Ground Today:

This barren patch of earth deep in the woods has drawn the curious, from researchers to ghost hunters. Questions, legends and lore will probably always surround the area. Several plausible explanations have been posited over the years, but where’s the fun in that.

People have spent the night near the Devil’s Tramping Ground over the years. If you’d like to do so yourself, you can camp nearby. Let us know if you see anything strange while you’re there.

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• Christopher Thompkins: Gone Without a Sound Into the Forest
• Christmas Family Murders: In the Still of the Night