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By Tina Bradley, PHD
Bicycling is great fun on the Outer Banks, thanks to flat roadways, paved bike paths and remote areas that allow off-road cycling. Unfortunately, it’s not always safe for beginners or amateur cyclists to ride on the main roadways alongside the steady pace of traffic because the Òbike lanesÓ in the shoulders, if they exist at all, are very narrow and are often filled with sand or debris. The good news is that there are other places to ride.
Multi-use paths, also known as bike paths, provide safe places to bicycle (or jog, walk or skate). Roanoke Island, home of the village of Manteo, has a wonderful paved multi-use trail that extends from the north end of the island to the Wanchese intersection at the junction of Highway 64/264 and Highway 345. There’s also a paved section that leads from Pirate’s Cove Marina to the Wanchese intersection. There are water fountains and benches for occasional breaks along this seven-mile trail. Parking is available at the north end of the island at the foot of the William B. Umstead Bridge leading to Manns Harbor.
The Roanoke Island multi-use path leads to all of the island’s attractions. The entrance to Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, which includes Fort Raleigh, The Elizabethan Gardens and The Lost Colony, is right off the path on the north end of the island. To get to the North Carolina Aquarium, turn off the path onto Airport Road, but be very careful riding on this road as it is very narrow and there is no bike lane. Next to the aquarium is The Old Swimming Hole, if you need to take a refreshing break.
As you get into the town of Manteo, brown signs will take you through the old town/waterfront section of Manteo, where historic homes, shops, restaurants and attractions are in abundance. Turn on Agona, Ananias Dare, Sir Walter Raleigh or Budleigh streets to get downtown. Follow Ananias Dare Street to the Cora Mae Basnight Memorial Bridge, which leads to Roanoke Island Festival Park and the Elizabeth II.
You can enjoy cycling along 12 miles of multi-use paths, bicycle paths and specially marked roads in the Currituck area of the northern Outer Banks. A nice place to begin is in the village of Corolla at the end of Highway 12. Four miles of this path are on a four foot shoulder of the highway, while other parts of the trail use a separate multi-purpose path that parallels Highway 12. The path will take you past Currituck Heritage Park, including The Whalehead Club house museum and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.
Ten miles of multi-use path extend along Highway 12 from the Sanderling Resort all the way through Duck and Southern Shores. The path takes you right through Duck’s shopping and dining districts and into Southern Shores’ shopping areas, including major retail stores. Feel free to cycle on the side streets, as they are usually not too heavily traveled.
In Kitty Hawk, bicyclists can park their vehicles at the beginning of the David Paul Pruitt Jr. Multi Use Trail in Kitty Hawk Woods by turning off Highway 158 across from Kitty Hawk Elementary School onto Woods Road.
This two-mile paved trail meanders through the nature preserve and ends at Kitty Hawk Road. Turning left takes you back to Highway 158, or turning right takes you to Moore Shore Road, which leads to Wind Grass Circle, where there is additional vehicle parking, a playground for children and a viewing area. Going on past the cul-de-sac you can turn right onto Bay Drive, which will take you into Kill Devil Hills and the Wright Brothers National Memorial without ever having to ride on busy Highway 158.
Kill Devil Hills’ multi-use path begins at West First Street and follows Colington Road (by the Wright Brothers National Memorial), then continues east to Highway 12 and the beach.
The Town of Nags Head’s multi-use path extends eleven miles along Highway 12 from the Kill Devil Hills town line through South Nags Head and the border with the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The path leads you past beach accesses galore, shops, hotels, restaurants, piers and historic cottages.
Some wildlife habitat and refuge areas allow you to cycle in nature while dodging the heavy traffic that accompanies the summer tourist season. One of these areas is the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge off Highway 64, just ten minutes west of Manteo.
Parking is offered at Milltail Road at the Creef Cut Wildlife Trail, where trail maps can be obtained. The refuge has more than 100 miles of pedestrian and vehicular paths meandering through 152,000 acres bordered by the Alligator River and Albemarle, Croatan and Pamlico sounds. You may see deer, otters, waterfowl, migratory birds, all sorts of reptiles and amphibians as well as elusive red wolves and an occasional black bear. For more information call (252) 473-1131 or go online at http://alligatorriver.fws.gov.
Off-road biking is also allowed on the unpaved road that leads through the Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve. (You cannot cycle on the preserve’s foot trails.) The road is 3 miles long and you can access it from Martin Street in Kill Devil Hills or from the preserve Visitor Center on Ocean Acres Drive in Kill Devil Hills. There’s plenty of parking at the visitors center. Wildlife abounds in the preserve. There is a parking lot which can be accessed down Ocean Acres Drive off Hwy. 158 in Kill Devil Hills. Call (252) 441-2525 for more information.
Another place for off-road biking is Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, about ten miles south of Nags Head on the north end of Hatteras Island. Bicyclists are allowed on the Service Road circumventing the North Pond. Parking is offered at the start of the Salt Flats Wildlife Trail as well as at the Visitors Center, which is open 9 am to 4 pm daily in the summer, but only on weekends otherwise. You may see a variety of wildlife, depending on the time of the year. Call (252) 987-2394 for more information.
While it is possible to bicycle throughout the Outer Banks, it is not recommended to do so along Highway 12 on Hatteras Island unless you are an experienced cyclist used to dealing with narrow shoulders, sand hazards and heavy traffic.
According to North Carolina law, bicyclists can ride on any public roadway, but they must be as far right as possible. Use of turning lanes is allowed, but you must use hand signals for turning or stopping in all situations. While traveling in a group, bicyclists must be single file. It is recommended that slow, inexperienced and young riders use sidewalks and multi-use trails. No double riding is allowed and at least one hand must be on the handle bar at all times. Children younger than age 16 must wear an approved helmet, although it is a good idea for all bikers to wear one. Any child 40 pounds or lighter and/or 40 inches or shorter must be carried in a restraining seat.
It is not recommended to ride at night, especially with the amount of tourist traffic the Outer Banks sees. Should you choose to ride at night, you must have a lit white light in the front that is visible for at least 300 feet and a lit red light or a red reflector in the rear that is visible for more than 200 feet. It also a good idea to wear light colored or reflective clothing.
Visitors can rent bicycles including tandem bikes and child restraining seats from several local businesses.
For information on bicycling the Outer Banks contact Wheels of Dare Bicycle Club at (252) 261-3068 or the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation at (919) 733-2804, or go online to www.ncdot.org then click on Bicycle and Pedestrian.
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