Gabriel Anaya
3 months ago
Impacted by the Gulf Stream's warm waters, Buxton Woods is among the northernmost forests with tropical palms and ferns along the East Coast.
Gallery photos coming soon
Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve
The maritime forest holding Hatteras Island's dunes and drinking water together
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About
Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve protects one of the largest remaining maritime forests on the North Carolina coast, spread across the widest part of Hatteras Island between Buxton and Frisco Campground. Where most of this barrier island narrows to a strip you can cross in a few minutes, Buxton Woods opens into ridge-and-swale terrain built up over centuries of dune migration — live oak, loblolly pine, and thick understory holding ground that would otherwise keep shifting with every nor'easter.
Why It's Protected
The reserve is part of the North Carolina Coastal Reserve system, and the forest does more than provide habitat for its plant and animal life — it also covers the freshwater lens that Buxton and the surrounding villages rely on, making these woods as much a part of the island's water supply as its scenery. On a barrier island this exposed, a stand of real shade is unusual; most of Hatteras Island is open dune, marsh, or beach.
On the Ground
A network of trails runs through the reserve, from short loops near Buxton to longer routes toward Frisco Campground, so both a quick walk and a half-day hike are realistic here. It sits just inland from Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the village of Buxton, making it easy to pair with a beach day or a stop at the lighthouse grounds.