First trip to the Sandhills coming up - what do I need to know about the forest roads out there?

Stock 4Runner with a decent set of ATs will handle the two-tracks around Bessey just fine in dry conditions. The sand gets soft in spots, mostly on the climbs and in the shade where it stays loose, so the trick is keeping your momentum and not stopping mid-hill. Airing down to the low twenties makes a huge difference if you hit a stretch that feels sketchy. A locker is nice insurance but you honestly won't need it unless it's rained recently or you try some of the deeper stuff off the main loops. The real trip-wire out there is moisture. What's an easy cruise in July can turn into a traction nightmare after a storm, so check the forecast before you commit to anything beyond the main roads. Dispersed camping is legal on the forest, same deal as Colorado. You can pull off a forest road and set up unless there's a sign saying otherwise, and you're supposed to stay within a certain distance of the road itself. The maps being sparse is normal, just grab the Motor Vehicle Use Map from the ranger district website and it'll show you wich roads are open. A lot of the obvious pullouts near the Dismal River corridor get used regularly so they're easy to spot once you're rolling. And yes, the wind is exactly as bad as people say. It blows basicly all the time out there, but Friday night into Saturday morning seems to be when it really ramps up. I ran a rooftop tent out there once and it buffeted hard enough that I barely slept, the whole truck rocking like the thing was going to peel off the rack. If you've got the room, bring the ground tent. Low profile wins every time on the prairie. Stake it out good too because those gusts come sideways with no warning. Last tip, watch for seasonal closures on some of the trail sections, especially once hunting seasons kick in. Signs get posted at the junctions but it's easier to check before you go than to backtrack three miles of sand.

Only thing I'd add is don't count on your phone out there. I ran the loop past the old nursery site a couple years back and had zero bars for a solid 40 miles, even on the main roads. Download the offline map layer before you leave town and let somebody know your rough plan. Also pack more water than you think you need, the wind will dry you out fast even when it's cool. I do 2 gallons a day per person minimum on prairie trips and I've never regretted it. Firewood too, deadfall is scarce around the good camping spots so bring your own.

Ran those dunes back in the 90s in a beater pickup with no locker and open diff front and rear. Never got stuck where a little shovel work and a floor jack didn't fix it. Still carry both, old habits. A cheap come-along and a strap in the bed costs you nothing and beats waiting on a rancher to come by. One old trick for the wind question, camp on the east side of a stand of trees or in the river timber if you can find a legal pullout. The cottonwoods break alot of it. And get to the ranger district early, those old-timers behind the counter will pencil you a route on a paper map that no website has.

I second the ground tent call. Went out there with a buddy in his rig a few springs back and we slept in the truck bed with a topper and still got rattled all night. Next trip I brought a pair of cheap traction boards just as a whatever item, and they ended up being the thing that saved the day when I pulled into a soft pullout near the river and sank to the frames trying to reposition. Dug for twenty minutes first, boards popped me out in one try. Toss them in even if you never plan to use them, sand has a way of deciding for you.