Nags Head Woods Forest Entrance

Where the gravel road ends and eight miles of maritime forest trail begins, just west of Kill Devil Hills

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Kill Devil Hills, NC

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Turn off US-158 near milepost 9.5 in Kill Devil Hills — there's a stoplight at McDonald's and Pigman's BBQ — and Ocean Acres Drive carries you west through a quiet residential neighborhood before the pavement runs out. The road narrows to gravel, curves sharply, and ends at a small parking area and a white sign marking the entrance to Nags Head Woods Preserve. This is the trailhead: the spot where the beach-town grid gives way to one of the largest remaining maritime forests on the East Coast, a preserve jointly run by The Nature Conservancy and the local towns.

Trails open daily, dawn to dusk, no admission fee
Parking is limited — 16 regular spaces plus 2 ADA spots — and overnight parking isn't allowed
Trail maps are available at an outdoor information counter near the lot
Eight marked trails fan out from here, ranging from about a fifth of a mile to three miles, including a paved and boardwalk loop built for wheelchair and cane access

Closed-toe shoes are worth it — most paths are dirt, laced with exposed roots, and shaded thick enough to feel like a different climate than the open dunes a few miles east. Restrooms are inside the administrative office, available weekday business hours only. Leashed pets are allowed on select trails, and bikes and motorized vehicles aren't permitted anywhere in the preserve.

Best Time to Visit Nags Head Woods Forest Entrance

Trails at the Nags Head Woods Forest Entrance are open daily from dawn to dusk, giving flexibility for early or late walks. One timing detail worth planning around: restrooms are located inside the preserve's administrative office and are only available during weekday business hours, so anyone who needs restroom access should aim for a weekday visit rather than a weekend one. Outside of that restroom window, the trails themselves remain accessible any day within the dawn-to-dusk hours, regardless of which day of the week it is.

Trail Tips for Nags Head Woods Forest Entrance

Wear closed-toe shoes — most paths here are dirt and laced with exposed roots, so sandals or open shoes aren't a great fit.
Parking at the entrance is limited to 16 regular spaces plus 2 ADA spots, and overnight parking isn't allowed, so plan a same-day visit.
Leashed pets are allowed on select trails only, not across the whole preserve, so it's worth checking which trail you're on before bringing a dog along.
Bikes and motorized vehicles aren't permitted anywhere in the preserve — this entrance leads to foot-traffic-only trails.

Getting to Nags Head Woods Forest Entrance

The entrance sits off US-158 near milepost 9.5 in Kill Devil Hills — turn at the stoplight by McDonald's and Pigman's BBQ onto Ocean Acres Drive. The road heads west through a quiet residential neighborhood, and the pavement eventually runs out. From there it narrows to gravel and curves sharply before ending at a small parking area, where a white sign marks the preserve entrance. Trail maps are available at an outdoor information counter near the lot, so it's worth stopping there before choosing a trail to walk.

What to Expect at Nags Head Woods Forest Entrance

This is the trailhead into Nags Head Woods Preserve, one of the largest remaining maritime forests on the East Coast, jointly managed by The Nature Conservancy and local towns. Here, the beach-town grid of Kill Devil Hills gives way to woods. Eight marked trails fan out from this point, ranging from about a fifth of a mile up to three miles, so both quick loops and longer walks are available. One of the eight is a paved and boardwalk loop built specifically for wheelchair and cane access, making part of the preserve reachable without a rugged hike. The forest canopy here is thick enough that the woods feel like a different climate than the open, sun-exposed dunes just a few miles east.

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