places where you won't be able to wipe the wag off your dog's tail - Outer Banks NC
The Park
Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches down the Outer Banks for 70 sandy miles across three barrier islands, two connected by a toll-free bridge and two connected by a free ferry. Today the seashore is known for its recreational opportunities on the land; historically it has been known for its dangers offshore. A bank of shifting sands known as the Diamond Shoals have caused more than 600 ships to wreck off Cape Hatteras, leading mariners to call the area the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” Cape Hatteras was designated America’s first National Seashore by Congress on August 17, 1937 and established on January 12, 1953.
The Walks
There is no better place for loooong hikes with your dog on dune-backed beaches than Cape Hatteras National Seashore but there are also a trio of short nature trails - one on each island - to try with your dog. The best of the lot is in Buxton Woods on Hatteras Island, near the Visitor Center and lighthouse. This trail bounds across pine and oak-covered dunes with marshy wetlands tossed into the mix. The gnarled trees and shrub thickets provide a shady respite from a day on the beach with your dog. Another leafy canine hike is on the Hammock Hills Nature Trail on Ocracoke Island which traipses through a maritime forest on the edge of Pamlico Sound for a bit less than a mile. For an easy hike with your dog in the sunshine and salt air stop at Bodie Island Lighthouse. Here you can explore freshwater ponds and marshes that were artificially created by building dams and dikes and artificial dunes to block the intrusion of ocean salt spray.
Where The Paw Meets The Earth: Soft white sand.
Workout For Your Dog - More than an hour - days if you want.
Swimming - If your dog is intimidated by the crashing Atlantic surf there is also access to Pamlico Sound.
Restrictions On Dogs - Dogs are permitted year-round in the national seashore, save for three small swimming areas.
Something Extra
There are five lighthouses on the Outer Banks your dog can visit - three in the national seashore. The oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina is the 75-foot tower on Ocracoke Island and the 150-foot Bodie Island Lighthouse dates to 1872. The most famous, and America’s tallest at 208 feet, is the black-and-white swirl-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Its light can be seen 20 miles out to sea and has been reported to have been seen from 51 miles. Although your dog can’t do it, you can climb the 268 steps to the top.
Phone - (252) 473-2111
Website - www.www.nps.gov/caha
Admission Fee - None
Directions - Outer Banks; along Route 12 from the intersection with Route 64 at Whalebone Junction south through Ocracoke Island.
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