Jockey’s Ridge State Park is the largest state park in the North Carolina state park system and is situated in beautiful Nags Head, North Carolina, a city that is part of the greater Outer Banks region. While staying in nearby Kill Devil Hills with my family, I decided to go for a hike along the Soundside Nature Trail in Jockey’s Ridge.

Jockey’s Ridge is home to the largest natural sand dune in the United States. Walking through the park is like walking through a desert of sorts, something unique to anything else I’ve experienced. The Soundside Nature Trail starts off at the trailhead in the parking lot off Soundside Road, then goes towards the sand dunes, followed by a wetland area/maritime thickets, and then along the beach of Roanoke Sound. It’s one mile total in length, an easy hike, and takes 20-30 minutes at a leisurely pace (you can find a map of Jockey’s Ridge State Park here).

Here are some photos from my hike:

Have you been to the Outer Banks or Jockey’s Ridge State Park?