Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
Manteo
The refuge has over 150,000 acres of wetland habitats and a wide variety of wildlife, ranging from wood ducks and alligators to black bears and red wolves. Plant species including the Atlantic white cedar, bald cypress, wildflowers and shrubs are abundant. Hiking and wildlife trails plus fishing areas. Trails for kayaking and canoeing; guided canoe tours are available for a fee. On Hwy 64/264 west from Manteo. Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge nature.org recreation.gov
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and State Natural Area
Camden County, Gates County, Elizabeth City
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge nature.org
Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Reserve
Columbia
Located approximately 15 miles south of Columbia, the Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Reserve is the largest single property and the first inland site in the North Carolina Coastal Reserve. The site maintains habitat for special concern, rare, threatened or endangered species including the red wolf, bald eagle, red-cockaded woodpecker Atlantic and shortnose sturgeons and American alligator. ncnerr.org nature.org
Merchants Millpond State Park
Gates County
Discover one of North Carolina's rarest ecological communities. Massive cypress & gum trees covered with Spanish moss form a canopy for the dark waters of the 750-acre cypress millpond ~ a wilderness sanctuary for wetland wildlife. Paddle quietly through the pond and creek and encounter beavers, otters, owls, etc. Over 10 miles of hiking trails. Fee for camping and canoes. Or bring your own kayak or canoe. Merchants Millpond State Park
Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge
Knotts Island
8,646 acres in the northeastern part of Currituck County. Visitors Center is in the Kitchen Tract Hunt Club, A small boat launch for boats of 16 foot or smaller, 20 miles of canals and creeks. Open for walking, biking, fishing and wildlife observation. Access to Back Bay of VA and the Currituck Sound. Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge"> recreation.gov
Medoc Mountain State Park
Halifax County
Medoc Mountain State Park
Morningstar Nature Refuge
Williamston, Martin County
Privately owned and operated refuge open by appointment only daily, yearround afternoons from 2 p.m. Points of interest incude museum and visitor's center, observatory, research lab and nature library, eight short educational trails, feeding station, trees, plants and shrubs identified. Located in migratory flyway with over 250 species documented. Programs created for one-on-one and small groups. Larger adult clubs and groups accepted. morningstarrefuge.org
The Palmetto-Peartree Preserve
Columbia
The Palmetto-Peartree Preserve encompasses 9,732 acres bordered by the Albemarle Sound and the Alligator River. The preserve was established to preserve the endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. There are three interpretive walking and bird watching trails on the preserve. palmettopeartree.org
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Columbia
Located in Washington, Hyde and Tyrrell counties. In 1990 the Conservation Fund donated land to the US Fish & Wildlife Service. This led to the establishment of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, covering 111,000 acres. The refuge includes portions of the Scuppernong and Alligator Rivers. Visitors may observe a variety of wildlife, birds, natural vegetation and beauty. Facilities include restrooms, the Walter B. Jones, Sr. Center for the Sounds visitor center, free parking and picnic area. Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge recreation.gov
Pettigrew State Park
Creswell
An angler's paradise, this park is the home of Lake Phelps, a 16,600-acre natural lake; a virgin forest; and recreational facilities including a family campground, group camping, trails, picnic areas, boat ramp, exhibits, fishing pier and play fields. Ideal for shallow draft sailboats, canoeing and windsurfing. View displays of prehistoric Indian culture in the exhibit hall or visit nearby Somerset Place, a state historic site. Free. Fee for camping. ## Pettigrew State Park borders Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge including Phelps Lake. The site of James Johnston Pettigrew's family home, the Pettigrew family cemetery, and Somerset Place State Historic Site are all located inside the perimeters of the park. The park's public collections include two Algonquian dugout canoes excavated from Phelps Lake. Pettigrew State Park
Roanoke/Cashie River Center
Windsor
Focus on the vast floodplain and bottomland swamp system of the lower Roanoke basin. Historic items on the center property, including an ''in situ'' brick vault, a 150-year-old grave marker, and an outbuilding from a historic home what will house various artifacts, allow for interpretation of the Windsor area's past. ## The Partnership for the Sounds seeks to promote sustainable, community driven economic well-being and stewardship in the Albemarle-Pamlico Region through environmental education and nature-based and cultural tourism. Specifically, the Roanoke-Cashie River Center features a natural area and park with a boardwalk and canoe/small boat access to the Cashie River on the premises, an amphitheater for special events, exhibits of historical artifacts, science and nature displays, and educational programming on the history, heritage, and natural resources of the Roanoke and Cashie River area. partnershipforthesounds.org
Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge
Windsor
Established in 1989, the refuge is home to animals such as deer, otter, beaver, muskrat, and black bear, as well as more than 191 species of migrating birds. Informal trail systems are open to the public for hiking and birdwatching, including the new Charles Kuralt Trail which opened in spring 2000; some of the trails and refuge are only accessible by boat. Hunting by special permit only. Refuge is closed to public during permitted hunts for safety reasons. Special wildlife observation areas along Hwy.13/17 are available seasonably. Special fishing regulations apply in selected tributaries within the refuge boundaries. Fishing is permitted in the Roanoke River proper. Owned and operated by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge recreation.gov
Roanoke River Paddle Trail & Canoe Camping Platforms
Jamesville, Martin County
An emerging destination in northeast North Carolina, the Lower Roanoke River and its tributaries offer a unique wilderness experience for kayakers and canoeists. Meandering through the Coastal plain to the Atlantic Ocean, the Roanoke spreads out through the largest intact bottomland hardwood swamp forest east of the Mississippi. The area is home to black bear, river otter, white-tail deer, bobcat, beaver, and mink. Over 200 bird species have been identified including bald eagles. It is a birdwatcher's paradise. The River is renowned for its abundance of striped bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, lunker catfish, gar and bowfin. Thousand year-old bald cypress trees and towering tupelos form a lush canopy overhead. Seven camping platforms off the river have been completed as part of Phase One of the development of this water trail by Roanoke River Partners. To complete Phase One, three more platforms will be constructed between Hamilton, Plymouth and up the Cashie River to Windsor with nearly 140 miles of water trail linking the platforms. Phase Two will extend the paddle camping trail up to Roanoke Rapids, increasing the trail total to 200+ miles. Reservations for the Trail can be made at Roberson's Marina in Jamesville. Visitors will be educated about the trail system, and will sign a liability waiver and a ''pack-in and pack-out'' waste policy agreement to be used with the platforms. A per-person rental fee is paid to hold the reservation and receive a permit. Call 252-794-6501 to reserve a platform and visit us at www.roanokeriverpartners.org roanokeriverpartners.org
Roanoke River: Larkspur Ridge Preserve
Halifax County
nature.org
Roanoke River: Devil's Gut Preserve
Martin County
nature.org
Roanoke Swamps Outpost
Williamston, Martin County
Bald eagles soar and black bear roam along the majestic waterway that is home to striking swamp forests. Many species of neotropical migratory birds abound. Day and overnight trips are available in the Conoho, Devil's Gut and Sweetwater swamps, and the Roanoke River Paddle Trail and Canoe Camping Platforms provide a good place to stop. rockrest.com
Roanoke River: Camassia Slopes Preserve
Northampton County
nature.org
Scuppernong River Preserve
Columbia, Creswell
nature.org
Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center
Scotland Neck, Halifax County
The Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center is the largest waterfowl collection in North America maintaining 2,500 birds. Since the late 1980s, the 9-acre facility has been dedicated primarily to propagation, especially endangered species. Currently, tours of the breeding preserve at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center in Scotland Neck, North Carolina is limited to members of the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Society. However, plans are being implemented to expand the Center into an education-oriented destination for school children and visitors of all types. In 2004, an additional 19 acres was acquired by the North Carolina Zoological Society for the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center. Part of the new land will be developed into a visitors' area with a variety of exhibits showcasing waterfowl and other exotic birds. Plans include a two-story building that will serve as an education center and library, where numerous conservation-oriented programs will be presented. sylvan-heights.org
Current real estate database of the northern mainland 5-county region, which includes Elizabeth City, Edenton, Hertford, and Moyock.
