Alligator River Canoe and Small Boat Trail
Fairfield, Hyde County
This 21 mile trail is part of the Albemarle Region Canoe and Small Boat Trails System. It is made to order for the endurance canoeist who wishes to test himself. This beautiful stream winds through brackish marshes with picturesque snags left from a former forest. It is composed of three section, the first from the access off North Carolina Highway 94 to the landing at Kilkenny located on State Road 1322 in Tyrrell County. The second section continues on to another access located on North Carolina Highway 94 near the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge in Hyde County. The third continues up either New Lake Fork or the headwaters of the Alligator River. Sections 2 & 3 cross the Intracoastal Waterway, which during certain times of the year is heavy with yacht traffic. Hyde County
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
Cashie Wetlands Walk
Windsor
Boardwalk in a natural wetlands environment with cypress trees and other swampland flora. Walk takes visitor to the edge of the Cashie River, which is 20 miles long, as deep as 80 feet in places, and begins and ends within the county of Bertie. An observation deck allows views of several different species of endangered waterfowl as well as other swampland animals in their natural habitats. Canoes available at no charge. Free. Windsor
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and State Natural Area
Camden County, Gates County
The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge on the North Carolina - Virginia border features 25,000 acres of one of the largest protected areas of swamp wilderness in the United States.
Edenton Harbor Kayak Rentals
Edenton
Paddling along the Albemarle Sound, Pembroke and Queen Anne Creek has become much more accessible with the addition of rentals from Edenton Harbor. Monday - Sunday 9 am - 9 pm. Call 252-482-8232 for more information. townofedenton.com
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
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
Missing Mill Park
Hertford
Located just a few walking blocks from downtown Historic Hertford and on the beautiful Perquimans River, Missing Mill Park offers a nature boardwalk, picnic tables, canoe & kayak launch and fishing pier. Perquimans County Tourism
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
Winfall Landing Park
Winfall
Waterfront park in the community of Winfall featuring picnic area and boardwalk ideal for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Adjacent town office building has space available for private gatherings. townofwinfall.com
Attractions, Events, Hotels, Cottages, Things To Do, Retirement, Real Estate
