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Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Segment 18
Trail near Nags Head
Trail Information
About
Segment 18 is the Outer Banks stretch of North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail, running roughly 82 miles from the Cedar Island ferry terminal to Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head — about 65 miles of that on open beach, with the rest split between short trail sections and stretches of NC-12. Two ferry crossings are built into the route, linking the barrier islands the trail runs across.
- Roughly 82 miles point to point, mostly on open beach
- Passes through Ocracoke Village, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Buxton Woods, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Oregon Inlet
- Flat throughout, but loose beach sand makes for slow, tiring miles
- Not recommended for bicycles
Most thru-hikers break this segment into several days, staying in the trail towns along the way — Ocracoke, Hatteras, Frisco, Buxton, Avon, Salvo, Waves, Rodanthe, and Nags Head. It's one continuous stretch of the statewide trail, but almost nobody covers all 82 miles in one push; day-hikers instead pick off a beach stretch near wherever they're already staying.
Best Time to Hike Segment 18
Spring and fall bring cooler temperatures and fewer bugs for the exposed beach miles that make up most of this segment. Hurricane season (June through November) can bring storm closures and washouts along NC-12, so it's worth checking current conditions before planning a multi-day push.
Tips for Hiking Segment 18
- Budget several days — thru-hikers typically break this 82-mile segment into stages between the trail towns along the way rather than hiking it in one continuous push.
- Bikes aren't practical on the loose beach sand that makes up most of the route.
- Plan around the two built-in ferry crossings, which run on fixed schedules.
Getting to Segment 18
Segment 18 runs from the Cedar Island ferry terminal on the North Carolina mainland to Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head, crossing Ocracoke, Hatteras, and the northern Outer Banks along the way. Hikers can join or leave the route at any of the trail towns it passes through.
What to Expect on Segment 18
Segment 18 is almost entirely flat, but roughly 65 of its 82 miles run on open beach, where loose sand makes for slower, more tiring walking than the mileage alone suggests. The route strings together some of the Outer Banks' best-known landmarks — Ocracoke Village, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Buxton Woods, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Oregon Inlet — before finishing at Jockey's Ridge State Park.
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