I've driven hundreds of miles all over the pines in several Jeep Cherokees. I use 2WD most of the time, but I hate turning around, so I can't imagine going anywhere I'm unfamiliar with in a 2 wheel driver. One thing I discovered long ago is when you get to a bad puddle, staying hard to one side or the other almost always works. In a skinny Cherokee that's already scratched up, this is never a problem.
About the puddles - my oldest son used to work for an old Piney. It seems he and his friends would purposely dig out the puddles in their 4WD trucks when they went hunting, to keep too many people from coming into their favorite hunting spots. Also, my youngest son has a lifted Jeep, as do a lot of his friends. He tells me his friends, (not him, he claims), will dig the puddles even deeper to make their 4 wheeling more challenging. I know when you see the puddles without water, there's usually 2 much deeper tracks right in the center. Staying hard to one side has always worked for me. That and 4WD.
