Monday, December 10, 2007

The Outer Banks Biking and Hiking

Visiting the Outer Banks can be fun and exciting. A great way to see this area is by bike or foot. Walking and bike riding around the Outer Banks will provide some great sight seeing and exercise. You can enjoy many parks, protected areas, or just explore the beach.

Biking

There are many places to enjoy biking in the Outer Banks. You can bike more than 100 miles from Corolla and Duck at the north end to Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke at the south end. At the end of this leg, you can take a restful 40 minute ferry ride free of charge. The ferry goes between Hatteras Village and Ocracoke where more fun riding can be found. The Outer Banks is mostly flat, so its a fairly easy ride. You will always encounter a breeze and the bikes need to be washed at the end of the day because of sea spray. Other good riding spots include Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Kitty Hawk’s Coastal Reserve, Manteo and Roanoke Island. There are many bicycle shops around, so check with these local experts for bike rentals, and have them show you their favorite route. A good tip is to print out your bicycle trip in the morning so you know where you are going, and how to get back.

Hiking

Don’t let the flat terrain fool you. The Outer Banks can offer some wonderful hiking and exploring. Visit Jockey’s State Park to experience the East Coast’s biggest sand dune. This shifting sand dune rises to over 100 feet. Here hikers can spot wildlife, native vegetation and a glorious view of the ocean. Hikers will have to share this area with avid hang gliders, kite flyers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Other great hiking spots include Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the Currituck Banks Coastal Estuarine Reserve.

When exploring the Outer Banks by foot or bike, let someone know when you expect to be back, just in case something should happen. We have all heard about lost hikers and bikers that were stuck for days because no one knew where they were going and when they were going to be back.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home