Best Outdoor Activities/Hiking (Havelock, Elizabeth City: home, beach, swimming)

[the68]

Hello,

I am active duty Coast Guard and am currently stationed in Elizabeth City NC, but am only here for a couple of months and only God knows where I'll get sent after this. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any good little-known hidden outdoors gems like private/secluded swimming holes, cool places to explore, hiking/wilderness trails etc that are nearby or within a couple hours of E-City. I'm willing to travel a ways including up into Virginia if need be. I'm originally from southern PA where hiking in the mountains and the outdoors are a way of life, and a lot of the best places and trails that I knew of you couldn't locate by searching on Google and were known by us locals. Additionally, I might chance a trip to the western mountainous region of the state some weekend and wondered if anyone knew of or could recommend similar areas and activities in that region?

Thanks so much! Looking forward to spending more time posting here as I will be needing a lot of information about the next place I am going to get stationed within the next few weeks

[LLN]

Two items for you. Just north on US 17 there is the Dismal Swamp Canal trail. I have spent right many trips up and down 17 and I see people walking, riding bicycles, and jogging.

If you are considering going to mountains, you MUST ride the Virginia Creeper Trail. It’s a pretty long haul, but it’s one of the coolest things there is. Take a van to top of mountain and then ride down an old railway grade. Lots of bridges over a beautiful creek and Christmas Tree farms. You will not regret it.
Welcome to the Virginia Creeper Trail - a National Rail-to-Recreation Trail

[walessp]

I love just walking on the beach and walked all the way from the VA line to Hatteras and most of the way to Ocracoke Island over several months. Just south of the Bonner Bridge there is a marshy area east of Rt12 that has some nice trail as well - bring your bug spray in warm weather!

[poppydog]

Western NC is a hiker's paradise. Too many trails to begin to name.

Eastern NC? Ehhh...not as much. I guess you have explored the North River Dedicated Game Lands and the Great Dismal since those are both right near E-city? You might like to check out the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Might see some bears or Red Wolves. I'm not sure how many big trails there are there though: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Alligator_River/

There's the Neusiok trail down near Havelock. Neusiok Trail Home Page https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser..._Carolina.html

[Samsclubcoffee]

I really like hiking Goose Creek State Park near Little Washington, NC. And then afterwords, going to the Washington waterfront for food/beer.

I've hiked Medoc Mountain in that area but it was just ok.. If it wasn't called a "mountain" then I would have enjoyed it more.. it just didnt' have much elevation.

There are a lot of really cool little parks/walking trails in the Triangle area too.. Like Umstead park... etc.