A Foot-Trail Guide to North Carolina’s Outer Banks

See North Carolina's Outer Banks step by step. From lighthouses and wooded paths to dunes and waterfront boardwalks, this guide helps you experience the area from a fresh angle.

By Jason Frye on Jan. 01, 2023

On North Carolina’s Outer Banks, a narrow chain of barrier islands running for more than 100 miles through sand, shoreline, and maritime forest, outdoor activity takes center stage. You can climb lighthouses and dunes, wander beaches and boardwalks, follow forest paths, and explore trails of all kinds. With that much terrain available, choosing where to begin can be the hard part.

Start here. This guide highlights the OBX’s key trails, walks, and climbs, grouped by place or theme and rated with a simple difficulty system:

• * Easy. About as laid-back as a hammock nap.
• ** Moderate. Comparable to an energetic beach day.
• *** Strenuous. Stretch first, or expect to feel it tomorrow!

Whether you’re training for a triathlon or just looking for a shady place to walk, lace up your hiking sandals, boots, or running shoes — these are the places to get moving.

Nags Head Woods Preserve

Across from the Nags Head Fishing Pier on the soundside, Nags Head Woods protects 1,400+ acres of wooded dunes, interdune ponds, and abundant wildlife. The landscape feels more like a mainland hike than a typical beach outing, which makes sense: maritime forests like this are truly few and far between.

Two trails can be linked into a longer scenic loop, while two additional routes reach toward Roanoke Sound and make the area more accessible for visitors with mobility considerations. Here’s what to know:

• Center Loop Trail (*) – This short .25-mile loop near the visitor center is a kid-friendly introduction to the preserve. Interpretive signs help identify trees and other plants, while nearby ponds support some 100+ species of birds. The path links with the next trail.
• Sweetgum Swamp Trail (*)** – This two-mile lollipop route climbs a forested dune ridge, then follows the rolling ground over rises, through sandy low areas, and beside interdune and seasonal ponds. Because of its distance, stair sections, and a few fairly steep spots, it ranks among the more demanding hikes in the area.
• Roanoke Trail (**) – This level 1.5-mile out-and-back path leads to Roanoke Sound. Along the route, a smartphone-based audio tour activated by QR codes shares stories of the families who lived here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• ADA Trail (*) – This half-mile loop circles an interdune pond and moves through maritime swamp forest. A combination of concrete walkway and wooden boardwalk makes it a strong option for walkers of many abilities.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the first in the country to receive such a designation, extends for more than 70 miles along the slimmest stretch of the Outer Banks. Known for surfing, kiteboarding, fishing, birdwatching, and in winter, seal watching, Hatteras appeals to many kinds of outdoor travelers, not only hikers. Beyond beach walking, consider these routes:

• Buxton Woods Trail (*) – This .75 mile loop winds through Buxton Woods Preserve and offers an easy walk within scrubby maritime forest. It’s a simple leg-stretcher before visiting the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse or setting out on something longer.
• Open Ponds Trail (*)** – At 4.5 miles one-way, Open Ponds Trail carries you through dunes, beside interdune ponds, and into maritime forest. Its sandy footing, limited shade, and overall length make it a real challenge, though the payoff is that you may have the trail nearly to yourself.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Home to the tallest active sand dune in the eastern US and just a paper-airplane distance from the Wright Brothers’ first flight, Jockey’s Ridge is unforgettable. Its sand peaks rise above 60 feet, and two trails around the dunes lead toward Roanoke Sound:

• Tracks in the Sand Trail (**) – Easy-to-see trail posts guide walkers over the sand to the sound on this 1.2 miles round-trip route. The sand can get extremely hot, so avoid going barefoot, bring water, wear a hat, and apply sunscreen before heading out. Pamphlets near the trailhead explain the animal tracks that can be found on the dunes.
• Soundside Nature Trail (*) – This .6-mile loop passes through dunes and scrubby woods on the west side of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. A spur path reaches a quiet beach on shallow, scenic Roanoke Sound.

You’re also free to roam off-trail, whether that means sledding down steep sandy faces or trying hang-gliding from the tallest dune through Kitty Hawk Kites.

Boardwalks

At opposite ends of the Outer Banks, two boardwalks offer a taste of a long-running coastal tradition. In Hatteras Village, the shorter boardwalk is a pleasant break from shopping or lunch and can provide a few pretty photo opportunities. In Duck, the boardwalk is the standout:

• Duck Boardwalk (*) – Lovely throughout the day and especially beautiful near sunset, the .62-mile Duck Boardwalk follows the Currituck Sound shoreline, moves through several compact shopping areas, passes the original Duck Donuts, and traces the edge of maritime forest and willow swamp. Plan to spend more time here than you might expect.

Beachside Routes

If a long walk on the beach is your thing, the OBX can deliver more than enough. You could begin in Duck and continue all the way to Nags Head for a 30-mile shoreline walk, or take on the full Cape Hatteras National Seashore for another remote 70 miles.

For routes shorter than a thru-hike, walkers and runners often use the paths beside NC-12, also known as Beach Road. Of course, simply stepping onto the sand near your hotel for a stroll works just as well. These are a couple of reliable ways to cover ground near the beach:

• NC-12/Beach Road (* to *, depending on distance)** – Walking and biking paths run alongside this older oceanfront road through Duck and Southern Shores and from Kitty Hawk down to Nags Head. Shade, width, and surface conditions vary, with some of the best and shadiest stretches in Duck and Southern Shores.
• Hatteras Island NC-12 Path (* to *, depending on distance)** – This multi-use route links Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo with roadside biking and walking sections, plus enjoyable elevated boardwalk portions over water.

Lighthouses

A trip to the Outer Banks should include its lighthouses, enduring markers of the region’s rugged seafaring past. But they are not only for viewing from the ground: both the Bodie Island Lighthouse and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse allow climbing during certain parts of the year. They’re also highly photogenic from below and above.

The lighthouses have climbing restrictions, please check their website for updated COVID info.

• Bodie Island Lighthouse (**) – Reaching the top requires 214 steps. Its horizontal black and white bands make the base view memorable, but the panorama from the top is stunning. Keep a firm grip on your hat and camera; it gets windy.
• Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (**) – This climb includes 257 steps to the summit of North Carolina’s tallest lighthouse. Its black-and-white barbershop spiral makes it the most recognizable as well, and it is also the tallest brick lighthouse on the continent.

Tickets are required for both lighthouse climbs and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Accommodations

Rest and relaxation are easy to come by on the Outer Banks, where undeveloped coastline and quiet, easygoing energy help define the stay. Lodging choices include expansive oceanfront vacation homes, soundside properties with sunset views, resorts, and familiar hotels. A few favorite options include the following.

Vacation rentals

Seaside Vacations and Southern Shores Realty offer homes throughout the Outer Banks, with properties on both the ocean and sound sides. Rates during shoulder season are usually lower, but with a group, even peak summer can be easier on the budget.

RV resorts and campgrounds

For travelers who want more time outside, Frisco Woods Campground sits directly on Pamlico Sound within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It works for RV travelers, tent campers, and cabin guests. Camp Hatteras RV Resort and Campground offers 1,000 feet of ocean and sound access, along with unexpected amenities such as mini-golf, a jacuzzi, and an onsite food truck.

Familiar hotels

Chain hotels are not especially common on the Outer Banks, but the Holiday Inn Express Nags Head Oceanfront and the Hilton Garden Inn Outer Banks in Kitty Hawk are dependable options that are worth choosing again.

Resorts

First Colony Inn places guests in Nags Head, offering polished guest rooms and luxury suites with wet bars, small kitchens, some screened porches, and several hot tubs. From the front door, Jennette’s Pier and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge are close by.

The Tranquil House Inn is a boutique hotel in Manteo on Roanoke Island. Its Twenty-five rooms feature details like four-poster beds and 19th-century charm, with views over the historic Manteo waterfront and Shallowbag Bay. Beaches, boardwalks, and breweries are all nearby, and wine and cheese await after a day of exploring on foot.

Author

Jason Frye first became attached to The Outer Banks in the summer of 1990, when his family traveled from the mountains of West Virginia to the North Carolina coast for a change of scenery. One week on the OBX was not enough, and when he had the chance, Jason moved to North Carolina, where he started exploring and writing about the state from the Outer Banks to the Smoky Mountains. His heart remains here on the coast. He now lives in Wilmington and visits the Outer Banks as often as he can while writing about travel, food, and all things North Carolina. His travel guide is Moon North Carolina Coast, and he shares more on Instagram as @beardedwriter.