ADA Trail

A half-mile paved loop through Nags Head Woods Preserve, built so everyone can reach the water

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Kill Devil Hills, NC

About

The ADA Trail is the accessible route through Nags Head Woods Preserve, the maritime forest jointly managed by The Nature Conservancy and the Town of Nags Head along the Kill Devil Hills/Nags Head line. Where the preserve's other seven trails are packed dirt with exposed roots, this one is built specifically so wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers can get into the woods too — a paved and boardwalk loop starting from its own dedicated accessible parking near the preserve office on West Ocean Acres Drive.

It's a short loop, roughly half a mile, but it packs in some of the preserve's best scenery: a firm paved path gives way to a wooden boardwalk crossing freshwater ponds and marsh, with observation platforms built right at the water's edge and an accessible fishing platform along the route. It's a genuinely different landscape than the beach a few blocks east — a rare stretch of old maritime forest on a barrier island this narrow, with the kind of quiet, shaded stillness the open dunes don't offer.

Paved and boardwalk surface, level grade, built for wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers
Dedicated accessible parking at the trailhead
Boardwalk sections cross freshwater ponds and marsh, with observation platforms and an accessible fishing spot
One route within the larger Nags Head Woods Preserve trail network, not a standalone park

Best Time to Visit the ADA Trail

At roughly half a mile, the ADA Trail's paved and boardwalk loop is short enough to fit into a visit at any point in the day — whether it's the main destination for visitors using wheelchairs, walkers, or strollers, or a quick, easy add-on before or after exploring the preserve's other trails.

Its shaded maritime forest canopy and boardwalk over freshwater ponds and marsh give it a quiet stillness that the open dunes and beach a few blocks east don't offer, making it a good choice any time visitors want a break from direct sun and open exposure.

Tips for Visiting the ADA Trail

Expect a paved and boardwalk surface with a level grade the entire way, suited to wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers.
Look for the trail's own dedicated accessible parking, built specifically for this route into the preserve.
Watch for the observation platforms along the boardwalk, built right at the edge of the freshwater ponds and marsh, plus an accessible fishing platform along the route.
Remember this is one route within the larger Nags Head Woods Preserve trail network, not a standalone park.

Getting to the ADA Trail

The ADA Trail has its own dedicated accessible parking, located near the preserve office on West Ocean Acres Drive in Nags Head Woods Preserve, along the Kill Devil Hills/Nags Head line.

This lot is built specifically for the ADA Trail and serves as the starting point for its paved and boardwalk loop into the woods.

What to Expect on the ADA Trail

The ADA Trail is the accessible route through Nags Head Woods Preserve, the maritime forest jointly managed by The Nature Conservancy and the Town of Nags Head. Where the preserve's other seven trails are packed dirt with exposed roots, this one is built specifically so wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers can get into the woods too — a paved and boardwalk loop.

The route starts on a firm, paved path that gives way to a wooden boardwalk crossing freshwater ponds and marsh.

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