TRAIL

THE OBX WAY designs public routes using Google Maps, all with service and landmark waypoints.  In the Google Maps App, the user's live and precise GPS location will display along with the route.  Click the underlined title to open each Google Map, and consider downloading the mobile app.

HIKE

10 Outer Banks Hikes - These ideal day-hike routes are located on Roanoke Island and from Oregon Inlet to Duck in Dare County.  The trails are accessible to both locals and guests with the map revealing accurate distance, parking, restrooms, viewpoints, and landmarks for convenience.

Community Paths - These day-hike routes stretch from Nags Head to Carova, over the same geography as Jockey's Trail.  The interactive map includes ten routes with public parking, restrooms, and landmarks.  This project was made possible by the Outer Banks Community Foundation.

Jockey's Trail - This 50-mile route was established during NC's 2023 Year of the Trail.  The hike has potential to be a 4-day camino to Virginia, but sufficient overnight amenities do not currently exist.  This project was inspired by backpacking adventures across Carolina, Ireland, and Spain in 2021.

BIKE

Road - Local crews coordinate regular group rides for serious cyclists.  But for casual recreation: Nags Head, The Woods Road, Dogwood Trail, Duck, and the Corolla Greenway are some of the safer traffic routes on multi-use paths.  This DOT map is extremely relevant, but currently out-of-print.

Gravel - Old Nags Head Woods Road and Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve provide the best opportunities to ride on rough terrain in wooded environments.  Additionally, the OBX Gravel Cyclists STRAVA Group is an inclusive network which regularly organizes challenging local rides, based in Manteo.

Sand - To ride on wet/dry sand, a fat bike is required, which has greater performance capabilities than a beach cruiser.  The False Cape Border Dash provides an insightful documentation of riding on remote beach at low tide, sharing a bikepacking adventure to a campground N of Corolla.

KAYAK

THE OBX WAY is NOT a certified water safety authority.  Paddlers should seek credentialed sources, such as the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 16-7 Outer Banks.  The local paddle information shared on obxway.org is intended to only supplement accredited paddlecraft safety standards.

Sound exploration can be hazardous, and ocean paddling is not advised.  Proper equipment, route awareness, and marine forecasts are all important when navigating the area.  Specifically, the wind, tide, and rain dramatically affect water level, current strength, and surface condition.

In December 2023, we researched and documented public waterways from Duck to Oregon Inlet. We then partnered with outdoor photographer Ben Lashley to archive 10 access sites and routes.  The collaboration created the "Outer Banks Paddle Trails" essay and The OBX Paddle Map.

CAMP

Oregon Inlet Campground welcomes year-round tent camping through the National Park Service, located S of the Bodie Island lighthouse across HWY 12 from the new Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.  Reservations are required through the NPS, while the nearest food is approximately 8 miles N.

Joe & Kay's Campground provides first-come, first-serve tent camping from April 1 - December 1.  This idyllic canal campground and the adjacent Blue Crab Tavern are local Outer Banks institutions.  The central Colington location provides convenient access N to Duck and S to Nags Head trails.

False Cape State Park is the closest campground to the Currituck Banks, but is 30 miles N of Duck.  Each town and county has camping ordinances.  Basically, camping is not allowed anywhere else. Adding to the challenge, a gate prevents vehicles from crossing the NC/VA border from either side.

NOTES

+THE OBX WAY promotes Leave No Trace and discourages stealth camping. 

+Bears do not inhabit the Outer Banks, and palm trees are not native plants.

+October-May are ideal months to avoid biting insects or poisonous plants.