Hiking the new Elliott Coues Nature Trail at Fort Macon, NC

   We adventured back into Fort Macon State Park to try a little hiking on the new-ish Elliot Coues Nature Trail. It's my second time hiking the trail and I have to say, I think this is one of the best trails in Eastern North Carolina. 

   To get there, head over the bridge to Atlantic Beach from Morehead City. You'll arrive at Bogue Banks, an Eastern North Carolina barrier island with Atlantic Beach on this end and Emerald Isle on the other (20 miles down the road). Fort Macon State Park also sits on this end, we've explored there before, but since then they have added this  trail.

   The trail winds through seaside dunes, a maritime forest, and over a boardwalk through the salt marsh. It's a 3.2 mile loop, accessed from the Fort Macon Visitor's Center parking lot or the Fort Macon Swimming Beach down the road (there's parking there too). We like to start at the visitor's center and hike the beach section first, that way we can get some shade in the forest on the second half of the hike.

   The trail is well marked and maintained and there's usually a decent amount of people hiking on any given day (especially the weekends). 

   We highly recommend this trail - there's really not that many trails in Eastern North Carolina, especially [partly] on the beach. It took us about 1 hour and 25 minutes to finish the entire 3.2 mile loop. Try it!

​~Paul, Amber, Eleanor      everyonestravelclub.com 

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