To celebrate the state’s 2,000-plus recreational trails, greenways and blueways and encourage people to get outside and use them, North Carolina designated 2023 as the Year of the Trail. Choosing 2023 to honor the North Carolina trails was not a random selection, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1973 North Carolina Trails System Act. North Carolina offers so many trails of various types – hiking, paddling, biking, horseback riding – that the state has earned the nickname Great Trails State.
Photo: Nags Head Woods Preserve
All throughout the year, the state, counties, towns and parks and recreation organizations in all 100 counties around the state have been hosting trail-based events, from guided hikes to kayak tours to trail maintenance events to ribbon cuttings and so much more. Many of these events are listed on the website, which also offers information on finding a trail for hiking, biking, paddling or horseback riding in all 100 counties.
Great Trails State Day
On Saturday, October 21, North Carolina has organized Great Trails State Day, a statewide event encouraging everyone to get outside and get on a trail. If you’re on the Outer Banks on October 21, you’ll have a hard time choosing among all the wonderful trails in this region (see the end of this blog for some ideas). But no matter where you are in North Carolina (or anywhere in the world, really), be sure to go out and enjoy a trail that day.
Mountains-to-Sea Trail
The official state trail, and it’s longest, is the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. This 1,175-mile trail spans the state of North Carolina, from Clingman’s Dome in the Smokies to Jockey’s Ridge State Park, right here on the Outer Banks. The idea for the trail started back in 1977 and came about in large part thanks to volunteer efforts in communities all across the state. A walk along the entire trail highlights the state’s unique culture, history and landscapes from the mountains and foothills to the Piedmont to the coastal plain and coast. Almost 725 miles of footpath are now completed, but with temporary routes on backroads and bicycle paths, hikers can follow the trail completely across North Carolina – all in one swoop or broken up into sections. Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail recently received a $5 million boost of state funds to help them complete the trail by buying property and hiring builders to move the trail from busy roads.
The Mountains-to-Sea Trail goes through 37 counties, connects to 10 state parks and wanders through three national parks. The Outer Banks segment of the trail includes two ferry crossings and meanders through Ocracoke Village, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Buxton Woods and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, over Oregon Inlet and up the beach to end at Jockey’s Ridge State Park. For more about the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, click here.
Mountains-to-Sea Trail Eastern Terminus Monument Unveiling
A new monument at this eastern terminus of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Jockey’s Ridge will soon be unveiled. On Friday, September 29 at 10 a.m. a ribbon-cutting and ceremony at Jockey’s Ridge State Park will unveil the monument, which was designed and built by Ben Jones of the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. At the monument unveiling, visitors will have the opportunity to tour the newly restored visitors center at the state park, meet with park staff and Mountains-to-Sea Trail organizers and enjoy light refreshments. At 10 a.m. the group will depart the visitors center to hike over the sand to the monument for the ceremony at 10:30 a.m. A nonprofit group, Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail brings together communities and volunteers to help build, maintain and advocate for the footpath to ensure that everyone feels welcome on the trail. Volunteers are always welcome.
Photo: The Corolla Greenway is part of Jockey's Trail
Jockey's Trail
A new trail marked on the Outer Banks this year is the Jockey’s Trail, a 50-mile hiking route designed by Luke Halton of The OBXWay, a Kill Devil Hills-based nonprofit. The recommended four-day trek begins at Jockey’s Ridge State Park and heads north through Nags Head Woods Preserve, Wright Brothers National Memorial, Duck Boardwalk, Historic Corolla Park and Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. The end of the trail is in Carova, south of False Cape State Park. The trail traverses a variety of terrain including maritime forest, sidewalk, boardwalk, greenway and beach. Accommodations and conveniences are available along the route that has been sectioned into 14-, 13-, 10- and 13-mile stages. You can do a portion of the trail or stretch it over several days. For all the details you’ll need, click here.
Photo: Springers Point Preserve is a favorite hiking spot on Ocracoke Island.
Hike the Outer Banks
Want to take a hike? Here are some of the favorite hiking spots on the Outer Banks. You can find more information about these and other trails here.
Springers Point, Ocracoke
Hammock Hills Nature Trail, Ocracoke
Buxton Woods, Hatteras Island
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Hatteras Island
Bodie Island Lighthouse Trails, south of Nags Head
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Dare County mainland
Freedom Trail, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Roanoke Island
Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Nags Head
Nags Head Woods Preserve, Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills
Run Hill State Park Natural Area, Kill Devil Hills
Kitty Hawk Woods, Kitty Hawk
Audubon Pine Island Sanctuary Trail, Corolla
Currituck Banks National Estuarine Research Reserve, Corolla
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
