Outer Banks Atlantic sunset.
The sign welcomes you to the seashore.
Cape Hatteras Light’s spiral staircase.
Walking the dunes at Jockey’s Ridge.
Colorful flowers at Elizabethan Gardens.
80 and 100 feet in height, depending on which way the wind blows. The dune formation is estimated to contain the equivalent of six million truckloads of sand. The giant sand piles stay put because of alternating airstreams that equalize each other by blowing sand back and forth. Prevailing winter wind gusts arrive from the northeast, and summer breezes blow in from the southwest, constantly rearranging the dune’s surface. From a sandy perch on the dune’s peak, lucky birdwatchers looking west spot blue herons, brown pelicans, or chickadees in flight, depending on the season. Meanwhile, local outfitters teach fledgling hang gliders how to soar like sea gulls off the tops of dunes. Park visitors are treated to panoramic views of Roanoke Sound, Atlantic seas, and the vacation-oriented town of Nags Head. From the top of the big golden dunes, it’s fun to imagine how local heroes Orville and Wilbur Wright were inspired to fly like birds over the blustery sand scape of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Hikers’ advisory: Allow an hour or so for a leisurely round- trip trek between the parking lot and the sandy crest of Jockey’s Ridge. Wear shoes to protect your feet from hot sand and spurs. Be sure to walk the park’s two self-guided nature trails to see prickly pear cactus and red cedar. You might catch glimpses of dune dwelling critters such as racerunner lizards and cottontail rabbits. FortRaleigh, The Lost Colony and ElizabethanGardens On Roanoke Island, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site memorializes the lives of 117 men, women, and children who sailed with Sir Walter Raleigh to establish the first English settlement in America. Mysteriously, all those early colonists disappeared laterwithout a trace. Their compelling story, “The Lost Colony” outdoor drama, is presented at the
Most RVers have favorite seasonal “star stops” that shine most brightly during a designated time of year. If you’re wishing for all-season travel magic that endures throughout summer, fall, winter, and spring, it’s difficult to surpass North Carolina’s Outer Banks—a 130-mile chain of wind- and-sea-swept barrier islands. Golden sand dunes studded with sea oats, big blue waves, and top-of-the-line saltwater fishing make North Carolina’s popular outer islands a winning locale during every season. Throngs of summer guests are wowed by every kind of outdoor activity and indoor entertainment imaginable. Autumn, winter and spring visitors reap the advantages of quieter, gentler, less crowded islands, and more reasonable prices. During every season, the Outer Banks may be reached easily by RV—via U.S. Highway 168 from the north or U.S. Highway 64 from the west or south. Listed below by location (driving north to south) are Outer Banks’ highlights you won’t want to miss. Wright Brothers NationalMemorial Head south through Duck and Kitty Hawk into Kill Devil Hills to see the imposing Wright Brothers National Memorial. While viewing the 60-foot-tall granite monument and the bronze replica of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s original powered flyer, it’s easy to picture how the brothers’ shared senses of wonder, determination, and ingenuity led to their ground-breaking powered airplane flight in December 1903. Jockey’s Ridge State Park At Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head, you can experience a unique 426-acre desert-like preserve. Slide into your walking shoes to clamber up (and down) the tallest natural sand dune formation in the eastern United States. The park’s largest sandy summit measures between
10 COAST TO COAST FALL 2015
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter