A CATAWBA COUNTY FALL TRAIL - OCTOBER 3
Backroads & BBQ
Four stops. One perfect fall Saturday.
A scenic drive through Catawba County, four stops, and a farm-to-table BBQ competition to finish it off. Grab your True Que tickets, then make a whole day of it.
Backroads & BBQ maps out a fall Saturday through Catawba County: a historic mill, one of North Carolina's last covered bridges, a small downtown worth slowing down for, and a farm-to-table BBQ competition to finish it off. Come early. Take the long way.
STOP 1
Murray's Mill
Start with a little history.
A working grist mill and general store dating back to 1913. The grounds are free to walk and open during daylight hours — a great first stop and an even better first photo of the day.
📍 1489 Murray's Mill Rd, Catawba, NC
STOP 2
Historic Catawba
Relax a while.
Grab a drink and a snack, browse a shop, stretch your legs. Small-town Saturdays are worth slowing down for.
📍 Catawba, NC
STOP 3
Bunker Hill Covered Bridge
Get the quintessential fall photo.
One of the last covered bridges in NC. It's a quick stop, but it's the kind of quick stop that adds something special to the day.
📍 4160 US Hwy 70, Claremont, NC
STOP 4 – THE FINALE
True Que at True Cut Ranch
Follow the smoke.
3-8 pm
True Que is a farm-to-table BBQ dinner and competition — four teams cooking whole hogs low and slow for a $500 prize and the belt. Plus a farm store, a fishing pond, and a party tent lit up for the evening.
📍 5221 Bolick Rd, Claremont, NC
3:00 Early entry & animal interactions begin
4:00 Dinner bell rings, event opens, live music from Cameron Matthews
6:00 Dessert — local fruit cobbler and ice cream. Get your votes in for BBQ champion
6:30 Winner announced — cash prize and the belt awarded
$59.08 adults $25 kids 6–12 Free ages 5 & under
Find all the event information at truecutranch.com/bbq
Plan Your Day
The Backroads & BBQ drive can be covered in a relaxed afternoon, the four stops sit within about 20-30 minutes of each other. Scan the QR code for a Google Map.
Get your tickets, map your stops, and we'll see you October 3.
Scan for a Google Map with all four stops.