The Devil's Tramping Ground
In a North Carolina forest lies a perfect 40-foot circle where nothing has grown for centuries. Local legend says the Devil walks here each night, tramping down any plants that dare to grow. Scientists have tested the soil. Nothing they've found explains why this circle remains perpetually barren.
Deep in the woods of Chatham County, North Carolina, there’s a circle where nothing grows. For as long as anyone can remember - at least 250 years - this nearly perfect 40-foot ring has remained bare of vegetation while the forest thrives around it. Local legend says the Devil walks here each night, wearing a path as he contemplates his evil plans. Science has yet to offer a better explanation.
The Circle
The Devil’s Tramping Ground is located about ten miles from Siler City, down a rural road and into the woods. Visitors find:
- A nearly perfect circle approximately 40 feet in diameter
- Completely bare earth within the ring, unlike the surrounding forest
- A well-defined edge where vegetation stops
- The circle remains clear year after year, decade after decade
Multiple attempts have been made to grow plants within the circle. Seeds planted there fail to germinate or sprout briefly then die. Even hardy weeds that grow everywhere else cannot survive within the ring.
The Legend
The origin of the Devil’s Tramping Ground legend predates written records, but the story has been consistent for centuries:
Every night, Satan rises from Hell and walks this circle, pondering his evil plans for humanity. His footsteps are so infused with malevolence that nothing can grow where he treads. He walks until dawn, then disappears, leaving the circle bare.
According to some versions:
- Objects left in the circle overnight are found moved outside by morning
- Dogs refuse to enter the ring
- People who sleep in the circle have terrifying nightmares or don’t wake up at all
- Strange lights have been seen hovering over the spot
Early Documentation
The site has been documented since at least the 1700s. Early settlers knew of it and avoided it. By the early 1900s, it had become a minor tourist attraction, with visitors coming to see the mysterious barren circle.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the site gained wider attention through newspaper articles and inclusion in collections of American folklore. Paranormal investigators began visiting, as did scientists attempting to explain the phenomenon.
Scientific Investigations
Multiple attempts have been made to explain the circle:
Soil Testing: Soil samples have been analyzed for salt content, pH levels, heavy metals, and other factors that might prevent plant growth. Results have been inconclusive - the soil is unusual but not definitively toxic.
Salt Lick Theory: One explanation suggests the circle was an ancient salt lick where animals gathered, their constant presence preventing plant growth. However, this doesn’t explain why the circle persists today.
Underground Gas: Some researchers have proposed that underground gas vents or geological features might affect plant growth. No conclusive evidence has been found.
Human Activity: The simplest explanation is that foot traffic from curious visitors keeps the circle bare. However, the circle’s existence predates modern tourism, and it remains bare even when fenced off.
Paranormal Investigations
Investigators have documented various phenomena:
- EMF (electromagnetic field) anomalies within the circle
- Temperature variations between inside and outside the ring
- Compass deviations
- Strange sounds recorded at night
- Animals avoiding the area
Some investigators have attempted to spend the night in the circle. Reports vary - some experience nothing unusual, while others describe vivid nightmares, feelings of dread, or the sensation of being watched.
Cultural Impact
The Devil’s Tramping Ground has become embedded in North Carolina folklore:
- Featured in numerous books about American legends
- Subject of documentary films and television segments
- A popular destination for legend-trippers and paranormal enthusiasts
- Referenced in local literature and song
The site continues to attract thousands of visitors annually, all seeking to see the circle where nothing grows and to contemplate what force - natural or supernatural - could create such a persistent anomaly.
The Mystery Remains
Despite centuries of observation and modern scientific inquiry, no definitive explanation for the Devil’s Tramping Ground has been established. The circle remains bare, as it has for at least 250 years.
Whether the Devil walks there each night or some unknown natural process prevents growth, the circle stands as a reminder that not all mysteries yield to explanation.