Outer Banks

The Outer Banks are a chain of barrier islands along the coast of North Carolina, including portions of Currituck, Dare, Hyde and Carteret Counties. The beaches along the Outer Banks are a very popular summertime tourist destination.

Map:

NC Coastal Reserves:

NC Coastal Reserves are a network of coastal areas protected for conservation and research purposes.

Currituck Banks Reserve - Currituck Banks Reserve, located just north of Corolla, protects maritime forest and estuary along Currituck Sound.

State Parks:

Jockey’s Ridge State Park - Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nag’s Head, protects the largest sand dune system on the east coast. The sandy dunes and steady winds make this park a great destination for hang gliding and flying a kite.

State Game Lands:

State Game Lands are managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Although primarily for hunting, some of the game lands have hiking trails.

Roanoke Island Marshes Game Land - Roanoke Island Marshes protects the wetlands in southern Roanoke Island.

National Parks:

The National Park Service has several units along the Outer Banks showcasing the history and natural beauty of the region.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore - Cape Hatteras National Seashore protects the barrier islands from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site - Fort Raleigh commemorates the Roanoke Colony, the first attempt at English settlement in the New World.

Wright Brothers National Memorial - Wright Brothers National Memorial is dedicated to Orville and Wilbur Wright, who conducted the first successful heavier-than-air flights from the windy dunes of Kill Devil Hills.