Top Places to Run Around the OBX

By Mark Lowenstein
May 21, 2018

Visitors often want to know where to find the best Outer Banks running routes. Great Runs has created a detailed area guide featuring a blend of beautiful and safer road segments, scenic off-road routes, and standout beach-running locations.

Outer Banks Running Highlights

Top beaches for running

The strongest beach-running spots tend to be long, broad, and firm underfoot. Conditions can vary, but the Outer Banks can deliver excellent runs along the sand. A renourishment program has made many beaches wider and flatter. For the most dependable packed sand, plan runs close to low tide.

Favorite off-road routes

Duck’s boardwalk is a standout. The town of Duck provides one of the Outer Banks’ better waterside running experiences, combining a 0.8 miles boardwalk/off-road path beside the water with a useful stretch of Highway 12 heading north toward Carolina Dunes. Begin in town, follow the boardwalk, then continue north on Highway 12 to Carolina Dunes for roughly a 5-mile outing with water views for much of the route. Duck sits near the middle of the Outer Banks, and its population grows significantly in summer.

Runners can also move through sand dunes, ponds, marshes, and wetlands in a 1,000+ acre preserve that is a National Natural Landmark. The trails in Nags Head Woods Preserve are another favorite. Also called the Nags Head Town Trail, the Preserve is 4 north of Nags Head and 7 miles south of the Wright Brothers Memorial. The Nature Conservancy manages 5 miles of connected trails here, with individual routes offering different features and surfaces ranging from boardwalk to sand to gravel.

Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve also has worthwhile running choices, including an almost 1-mile multi-use path, a route along Woods Rd. for 2 miles north to US 159, and several miles of forested trails.

Best history runs

At the Wright Brothers Memorial site in Kill Devil Hills, Wilbur and Orville Wright completed the first successful airplane flights on December 17, 1903. Runners can create a memorable historic route using the area’s roads and paths. A mapped route of about ~5 mile combines the Memorial site paths with a segment along Colington Creek.

Start at the Park Visitor Center, which was under construction as of March 2018, then follow the walkway to the Memorial. Along the way are a plaque, the original plane, sculpture, and reconstructed Hangar. Circling the Memorial pathways totals about ~3 miles. To add 2 miles, run west on Colington Rd. beside the Creek and over the bridge, turning back at Billy’s Seafood because beyond that point the road lacks a shoulder or sidewalk. Return the same way, using Colington Rd., which has a path beside the road, back to Wright Memorial Rd. Another option from the Memorial is to take W. 1st St. north to Bay Dr. for as much as 3 miles through a pleasant residential area with some shade and bay views.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site protects and preserves known portions of England’s first New World settlements from 1584 to 1590. It is located at the end of Roanoke Island, near the North Carolina Aquarium. The area allows for an enjoyable 2-3 run on pavement and trails through maritime forest, including the 1.25 mile Freedom Trail. Views from the Fort are excellent, and the Elizabethan Gardens, a historic Botanical Garden, is another highlight. In downtown Manteo, roughly 2 miles from Fort Raleigh, runners will find pleasant side streets, especially east of Hwy 64 toward Sandy Point and the Maritime Museum.

Strongest section of Highway 12

The prime running stretch of Highway 12 covers 16 miles between Duck and Nags Head, with a separated path and strong water views in places. Southern Shores and Kitty Hawk also have enjoyable roads for running.

Southern Shores, just south of Duck and north of Kitty Hawk, offers some of the Outer Banks’ better running options. It is among the wider sections of the Outer Banks and includes some of the area’s nicest homes, plus quiet residential side streets under tree canopy. A multi-use path follows Highway 12, with occasional ocean views. On the west side, longer roads near the golf course are also pleasant for running.

Note: this is mainly a residential community, so parking and beach access can be difficult.

Rather than one fixed course, these are good Southern Shores running options:

• Golf Course Run: For a flat, easy, low-traffic option, run N. Dogwood Trail, which extends north-south for 3.25 miles alongside Duck Woods Country Club. You can also head toward Martins Point along the peninsula extending from the Rt. 158 Bridge.
• Residential Streets: Southern Shores has many winding residential streets that work well for running. From the Outer Banks Visitor Center, go north and weave through the curving roads, keeping Highway 12 as a reference point.
• Highway 12: A multi-use path parallels the highway through this area. Ocean views appear in some spots, although homes line portions of the waterfront.
• Beach: The Southern Shores beach is beautiful and can be excellent for running when conditions cooperate. Note: public beach access may be limited.

Most challenging terrain

Most Challenging: The dunes of Jockey’s State Park, and the sandy Open Ponds Trail in the Hatteras National Seashore. Run the tallest living sand dune on the Atlantic Coast! This distinctive and demanding run is in Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head. The 1.4-mile Tracks in the Sand Trail passes through high dunes. The mileage can be deceiving, because covering that distance in soft sand is difficult and not suited to every runner. It is also a chance to add hill work.

You can pair it with the 1-mile Soundside Nature Trail, which reaches wetlands, grassy dunes, and maritime thickets. This route is sandy too, but a bit less demanding. Refer to the park map. Be aware that the park is exposed on hot days and that the sand can be 30 degrees warmer, so take care.

National Seashore highlights

National Seashore Highlights: There is wide variety for running along the Seashore’s 67 miles. The nearly uninterrupted beach can be wonderful, particularly close to low tide when the sand is compact. Trail runners can use the 4.5-mile Open Ponds Trail through dunes, shrub thickets, and the maritime forests of Hatteras Island. Around Buxton/Hatteras Island, a good route follows Lighthouse Rd. up to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

America’s First National Seashore, Cape Hatteras N.S. stretches 67 miles and includes Bodie Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island. The area is beautiful and lightly developed, with miles of beach, wooded and salt-marsh trails, and a scenic run to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The nearly continuous beach is the running centerpiece and can be gorgeous.

State Highway 12 is the main road through the Park. It has a reasonable shoulder for running, though water views are limited; much of the run is through open scrub and dune terrain. The route is quite exposed.

The best running options in Cape Hatteras National Seashore Park include:

• Beach: There are 70 miles of beach, along with many access points and parking areas. Conditions are best near the waterline, where the sand is firmest and most consistent around low tide. Running nearer the dunes is harder. Be aware that ATVs may be present and some sections may occasionally close.
• Trails: Hatteras Island has several trails suitable for running. The longest is the Open Ponds Trail, 4.5 miles through dunes, shrub thickets, and maritime forests of Hatteras Island, winding between British Cemetery near the Buxton Woods Picnic Area and Trailhead and the Frisco Campground. Another nearby option is the Buxton Woods Trail, a level route of 3/4 mile each way beginning at the Buxton Woods Picnic Area.
• Lighthouse Run: In the Buxton/Hatteras Island area, Lighthouse Rd. makes a good run up to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. From Highway 12, it is about 3 miles one-way to the old lighthouse site, then the new one, and onward to the Cape Point Campground entrance.

More running tips for the Outer Banks

Weather and tides

At the peak of summer, heat can be intense, and many routes are exposed. Plan hydration before heading out. On hot days, early or late runs are best. Watch for thunderstorms. For stronger beach-running conditions, aim for a window of a couple of hours around low tide, and consult a tide table.

Group runs and races

The Outer Banks Running Club organizes regular group runs open to visitors and schedules many road races during the year. A signature event is the Killer Dunes 2-Miler and Fun Run, held July 4. Runners can also look for other running events and marathons on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Categories

• Health
• Outdoor Enthusiast

Author

Mark Lowenstein is Managing Director, Mobile Ecosystem and Chief Running Officer at Great Runs. Great Runs is a guide to top running routes in major cities and destinations worldwide, created for travelers who run and runners who travel.