• Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews
EVERYONE'S TRAVEL CLUB
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews

Kayaking Beaufort: The Rachel Carson Reserve

12/5/2017

2 Comments

 
Kayaking from Beaufort North Carolina to the Rachel Carson Reserve
   Near our favorite Eastern North Carolina town of Beaufort, the Rachel Carson Reserve is a gorgeous group of barrier islands, the closest just a mere 5 min paddle from downtown. We explore Beaufort on the regular, mainly just to walk around the town pretending we could actually afford a house here! The seaside town is a booming with great local shops and restaurants, tons of sailing and paddling opportunities, beautiful historic houses, and some adventurous history (#pirates). 
Bicycles for rent in downtown Beaufort, North Carolina
Historic Inns and houses along the Crystal Coast in Beaufort, North Carolina
The North Carolina Maritime Museum in downtown Beaufort, NC.
S/V Meka II docked on the waterfront in Beaufort NC
The Inlet Inn located in the best seaside town in North Carolina - Beaufort.
Great pizza on the Beaufort waterfront brought to you by Black Sheep restaurant.
The banging new bar at Cru Wine Bar, Coffee Shop & Wine Store.
   Town is quaint and amazing, and we'll definitely post more on Beaufort in the future (we have in the past), but the destination today is the reserve. Off we go. Paddle-paddle!

Two Innova inflatable kayaks landing on the Crystal Coast's Rachel Carson Reserve.
The trail signs located on Town Marsh, Rachel Carson Reserve.
Hiking to Bird Shoal on in the Rachel Carson Reserve.
Trail markers on Town Marsh, Beaufort, North Carolina
   We set off from a little town boat launch in Grayden Paul Park, located along the downtown waterfront (map of park here).  There is lots of parking nearby - paid close by and unpaid a few blocks off. There are even a few load/unload-only parking spots right next to the launch. It is a super quick paddle over to the trailhead on Town Marsh. We pulled our kayaks above the high tide line and hiked through the island, following the markers to the other side and on to Bird Shoal.
Eleanor the dog outfitted by Outward Hound, sitting in the surf on Bird Shoal, NC
The view towards Shackleford Banks from Bird Shoal NC
On the trail of wild horse poop on Town Marsh in the Rachel Carson Reserve.
A wild horse on a barrier island of the Crystal Coast.
   While we weren't planning on seeing any wild horses (we didn't want to get our hopes up), we stumbled upon a trail...of wild poop! As we rounded the island to return to our kayaks for lunch we lucked out and caught a glimpse of one of North Carolina's wild horses grazing near the shoreline.
Paddling an Innova Sunny in Taylor's Creek near Beaufort, North Carolina
The Old Burying Ground in Beaufort, North Carolina
 
 After lunch we paddled back to the mainland and put the gear away. Since the park and boat launch is in downtown, you're just minutes away from refueling and grabbing a bite to eat if needed. Before heading home, we made a quick stop by the Old Burying Ground next to the Ann Street United Methodist Church. Historic cemeteries in the South like this one are always amazing to visit. Underneath the arms of these century old oak trees are the graves of Beaufort locals from long ago - including Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers.  
   We love the town of Beaufort. The Rachel Carson Reserve is a great paddle with lots of shoreline, trails, wildlife, and beach to explore. Its closeness to a great seaside town make the adventure even better. We highly recommend this trip! Questions about the paddle? Need help deciding on a restaurant for some post-paddle grub? Leave them in the comment section and we'll answer quick!

~Paul, Amber, Ann, & Eleanor     ETC

Link to NC Division of Coastal Management info on the Rachel Carson Reserve

The Old Burying Ground cemetery adjacent to the Ann Street Methodist Church in Beaufort, North Carolina.
A wild horse on the Rachel Carson Reserve in Eastern North Carolina
2 Comments
James Lennox
5/4/2021 03:55:40 pm

We are kayakers currently vacationing in Cedar Island NC. We've kind of exhausted the options out here, and kayaking to and around the Rachel Carson reserve sounds cool. We visited Beaufort for the first time today for lunch and like you found the town just charming. We like to do a wet launch (we're in our 70s and find launching from a dock gets more challenging year by year). Which of the launch sites for kayaking out to Rachel Carson is best. And is there a really good, detailed map (either on line or available in town) that tells a paddler where to land for hiking the trails, and paddling routes in and around the island?
Thanks, James

Reply
Paul link
5/4/2021 04:21:16 pm

Hey! There’s a nice mini-beach launch right in town at Grayden Paul Park (https://www.beaufortnc.org/parks/page/grayden-paul-park).

There is temp parking to unload and load kayaks right in front of the launch and paid parking right there too (or free parking around the block). The paid parking is seasonal (https://www.beaufortnc.org/community/page/parking). It’s an easy paddle right across the water to a beach on the island and trails cut through to the other side (the other side toward the ocean is the more windward side). We almost always see horses on the island:) Bring some real shoes as there are the little prickly beach spurs about the place. Current can move pretty quick at certain times during the daily cycle so be mindful ~Paul ETC

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    The Smell Butler Book logo, from the upcoming children's young adult novel

    Categories

    All
    Aboard Series
    Boating
    Hiking
    Kayaking
    Museums
    North Carolina
    Press
    Road Trip
    Safari

    RSS Feed

    We hope you've enjoyed the time you've spent on our site. All images, text and designs are copyright Everyone's Travel Club and may not be used without written permission from us. Email us!
    Picture

    Archives

    August 2022
    April 2022
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    September 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011

Picture

Connect:

Contact:

[email protected]

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews