Carteret County Trail Guide
#1. Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 5 Separate firebreaks totaling 16 miles
Facilities: None
Directions: Take Hwy 70 East from Beaufort. At Sea Level, continue on Hwy 12 to Cedar Island. Turn right onto Lola Rd. and continue to end. Cedar Island NWR Headquarters building at then of the road.
Walking only, No motorized vehicles, camping, firearms, campfires, or alcohol. Dogs must be leashed. Daylight hours use only. It is the largest marsh on the eastern seaboard. 3,480 acres of pocosin and woodland habitat, Undisturbed woodland marsh. Wildlife viewing includes ducks, waterfowl, small mammals, black bear and snakes.
#2. Willow Pond Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1/4 mile
Facilities: Core Sound Waterfowl Museum
Directions: Follow Hwy 70 heading east of Beaufort. Follow signs to Harkers Island. Continue on Island Road to the end. Look for Core Sound Waterfowl Museum Signs.
Easy trail with one downed log at western end. Future plans include connection to the Cape Lookout National Seashore walking trail. Observe coastal plants in maritime forest on walk to observation blind. Wildlife viewing includes primarily song birds, herons, ibis and egrets.
#3. Hoffman Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1/2 mile
Facilities: Restrooms at Aquarium
Directions: The NC Aquarium is located in Pine Knoll Shores on Bogue Banks off of Hwy. 58.
Loop Forest trail takes approximately 30 minutes to walk at a comfortable pace. The trail has bird blind at East Pond and floating bridge over a small freshwater pond and view of Bogue Sound. Wildlife viewing includes Birds, lizards, turtles, snake, the occasional mammal, and insects (don't forget your bug spray).
#4. Roosevelt Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.25 miles
Facilities: Restrooms at Aquarium
Directions: The NC Aquarium is located in Pine Knoll Shores on Bogue Banks off of Hwy. 58.
The Maritime forest trail takes approximately 1 hour at a comfortable pace. Short loop at the end and hikers must retrace trail to parking lot. Trail crosses high dune ridges, borders, expansive marsh and ends at a small soundside beach. Wildlife viewing includes birds, lizards, turtles and snakes.
#5. Emerald Isle Woods Park
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Length: 5 miles currently available.
Facilities: None
Directions: Take Hwy. 58 onto Emerald Isle, make 1st right onto Coast Guard Road. Go 1/2 mile. Emerald Isle Woods is on the right.
Walking and jogging with beautiful views of Bogue Sound and Cameron Langston Bridge. Wildlife viewing includes white-tailed deer, grey squirrels, osprey, egrets, wading birds, woodpeckers and shore birds.
#6. Cedar Point Tideland Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.4 miles
Facilities: Restrooms, picnic tables, boat ramp and campground
Directions: From the junction of NC 58 and NC 24 in Cape Carteret, drive north approximately one mile. Turn left onto VFW Road and follow signs.
An easy walk over tidal salt marsh boardwalks and loops through a hardwood and pine forest. Even surface. Panorama of White Oak River estuary and salt marshes with a distant view of the town of Swansboro. Wildlife viewing includes wading birds, songbirds, osprey and ducks. Fiddler crabs and invertebrates in the marsh. Raccoon tracks usually visible in the mud.
#7. Weetock Trail
Difficulty: Moderately easy on short trail sections. Entire trail is more difficult with uneven terrain and hills.
Length: 11 miles
Facilities: Restrooms, boat ramp and primitive campsites are available at Haywood Landing and Long Pt.
Directions: Travel 10 miles north from the intersection of NC 58 and NC 24 at Cape Carteret, turn left onto Long Point Road. The trail begins near the intersection of Loopy Road and Long Point Road. The south end of the trail begins approximately 9 miles north of Cape Carteret. Turn left onto Hill Field Road and proceed to the end. Follow the blazes.
Foot access only. Smoking, fires, alcohol, dirt bikes, 4-wheels, dumping and firearms are not permitted. The trail is new and maybe difficult to follow in places. "Weetock" is named for the Algonquian word for the White Oak River. The trail follows Hunter's Creek, the White Oak River and Holston Creek. Wildlife viewing includes songbirds, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, bear and snakes. Alligators often inhabit the rivers and creeks.
#8. Patsy Pond Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: Short Trail-3/4 mile
Long Trail-1.75 miles
Facilities: No Restrooms. Trail open daylight hours only.
Directions: Trailhead is located on Hwy 24 midway between Morehead City and Cape Carteret, in the Community of Ocean. Entrance is 1/2 mile west of Croatan High School and across the highway from the NC Coastal Federation.
Foot access only. Smoking, fires, alcohol, dirt bikes, 4 wheels, dumping and firearms are not permitted. Numbered signs correspond to brochure available at trailhead and at NC Coastal Federation. During hunting season, orange vests are available at the entrance. Longleaf pine flat woods, natural ponds and sinkholes, native flora and fauna. Wildlife viewing includes songbirds, wading birds, ospreys, wild turkeys, red cockaded woodpecker, white-tailed deer, gray fox, gray squirrel, flying squirrel, black bear, lizards, turtles and snakes.
#9. Promise Land Waterfront Walk
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2.3 miles
Facilities: Restrooms available
Directions: Walk through park to get to Evans Street. Turn left onto Evans St. Continue east to 4 St. Return onto Evans St. to 7th St. Follow Shepard St. to 13th St. Turn left onto Shackleford St. Continue on Shackleford to 17th. Turn right and then left onto Shackleford St.. At 15th St. turn right and then left onto Evans St. Continue until you reach City Park.
Easy walk through historic residential neighborhoods with views of Bogue Sound. Downtown area offers a sidewalk trail along boat docks. Brochures are available. Enjoy the architecture and history of the Promise Land homes. Gorgeous views of Bogue Sound and Sugarloaf Island.
#10. Calico Creek Boardwalk
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.14 miles
Facilities: Restrooms and water fountains available at Community Center
Directions: Hwy 70, Turn north on 17th Street, 2 blocks, 1700 Fisher Street
Biking, Jogging and walking with scenic waterviews and sunsets. Various waterfowl available for viewing.
#11. Morehead Alternative Transportation System (MATS)
Difficulty: Easy, asphalt and boardwalk.
Length: 2 miles
Facilities: None.
Directions: North side of Bridges Street Extension in Morehead City.
Walking, Jogging and Biking.
#12. Flanners Beach and Fishers Landing
Difficulty: Moderately easy with hills
Length: 1 mile or less on each side
Facilities: Restrooms, picnic areas, showers, camping, fishing and swimming.
Directions: Flanners Beach is approximately 7 miles north of Havelock off Hwy 70 on FSR 1107 to the Neuse River. Fishers Landing is about 9 miles north of Havelock. Go 1 mile on FSR 141.
Short informal trails around recreation site. Trail winds through hardwood forests, cypress swamps and sandy beach. Panorama of Neuse River estuary from high bluffs. Wildlife viewing includes songbirds, wading birds, wsprey, woodpeckers, white-tailed deer, gray squirrel and snakes.
#13. Neusiok Trail
Difficulty: Moderately easy on some short trail sections. The entire trail is more difficult with uneven terrain.
Length: 22 miles
Facilities: Restrooms and campgrounds at Recreation Area. 2 open front shelters with fire pits.
Directions: Pine Cliff Recreation Area is located off Cherry Branch Road and can be reached off of NC 101. Mill Creek Road entrance is near the Newport River.
Wooden bridges over some low-lying areas. Several miles of dry trail are available. "Neusiok" is the name of a Native American tribe that inhabited the banks of the Neuse River. Many reminders of human history: barrels, jars and copper coils-the remainders of stills blown up by law enforcement. Several old graves along the trail. Carnivorous plants such as the Venus fly trap and a variety of orchids. Views of the Neuse and Newport Rivers. Trail winds through hardwood ridges, pine flat woods, cypress swamps, pocosins and salt marsh. Wildlife viewing includes songbirds, wild turkeys, hawks, ospreys, eagles, ducks, geese, woodpeckers, bobcat, white-tailed deer, raccoons and opossum. Watch for venomous snakes and alligators in NW region of trail.
#14. OWLS Nature Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1/2 mile loop
Facilities: None
Directions: The Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter is located on Hwy 24, just outside of Morehead City. Approxi mately 1/2 mile east of Hibbs Road.
Nature trail takes approximately 15-20 minutes to walk at a comfortable pace. A nature trail with over 40 native plant species labels. Duck pond, permanent raptor enclosures and interactive education exhibits. Wildlife viewing includes Songbirds, lizards, turtles, snake and occasional mammals.
#15. Hoop Pole Creek
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1/2 mile walk to sound-other short trails off main trail are marked.
Facilities: None.
Directions: Trailhead just off Hwy 58 in Atlantic Beach. Turn into Atlantic Station and look for sign on the right at the trailhead.
Easy hiking through native maritime forest, salt marsh. Interpretive signs along the trail. See Hoop Pole Creek open up to Bogue Sound, both of which are estuaries-diverse bodies of water with a mixture of salt and fresh water. Observe maritime plants and shrubs as well as grasses along the estuarine shoreline. Wildlife viewing includes White ivis, egrets, herons, snakes, raccoons, deer, turtles, red fox, migratory birds, and fiddler crabs.
For more information about Carteret County, give me a call.
Amy Hahn
Pine Knoll Shores Realty
252-723-7972
info@pineknollshoresrealty.com
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