Hitting The Trails

Beaufort  

What to do on this sunny day? We both agreed that we needed to get out and walk. Neither one of us wanted to retrace our many steps through the streets of downtown Beaufort. Barry is not fond of walking on the beach. Thankfully, it did not take me long to remember the nature trail at Fort Macon. We crossed the ICW onto Bogue Banks and drove through Atlantic Beach to the state park. The parking lot was almost full with other folks looking to enjoy a beautiful day outside with comfortable temperatures. The Elliott Coues Nature Trail is a 3.3-mile looping trail that passes through natural wetlands, dunes, and early growth maritime forests. A sign at the trailhead identified Coues as a physician and naturalist who was stationed at Fort Macon from 1869-70. During that time he wrote the classic Key to North American Birds. We set out on a well-defined path and shared it with a few other walkers, joggers, and mountain bikers. A mature canopy covered much of the trail. Songbirds called in the thick forest as woodpeckers provided the beat. Fresh green spring growth was limited, but the bright red berries on the Youpon Holly provided some color. The most prevalent trees were red cedar and massive live oaks with branches that extended in all directions.  

The trail was well marked and many different knowledge stations were positioned to identify common flora and fauna. We crossed Highway 58 and began our inbound route along the large dunes fronting the Atlantic ocean. Out in the open sunshine, the day warmed nicely and we shed our extra layers. This portion of the trail loop had much more traffic. Families with young kids and dogs entered the trail at the public beach access parking lot. We came upon a Yorkie sniffing things out and I had to stop and give him a few ear scratches. I have to keep my fingers limber and well-trained for when I eventually get to see my two favorite Yorkies. Soon we were back to the WWII gun emplacement we visited last week. The parking lot/finish line awaited a short distance through the dunes. We had finished our Fort Macon 5k. It felt really good to be outside and sweat a little. We visited the water fountain in the visitor center for a post-walk cooldown.

We drove back into Atlantic Beach and picked up a quick sandwich for lunch. At the edge of the shopping center parking lot was the Hoop Pole Creek Nature Preserve. Numerous signs flanked both sides of the trailhead. The general information sign told of how the 31-acre property was purchased by the North Carolina Coastal Federation in 1997 to save the site from proposed condominiums and a marina. It remains as one of the last undeveloped pieces of land in Atlantic Beach. Another sign touted the preserve as a Watershed Protection zone. The area is also part of both the NC Birding Trail and the NC Civil War Trails. In March of 1862, the Burnside Expedition was carried out as the Union army ferried troops and equipment from Carolina City, five miles across Bogue Sound, to Hoop Pole Creek during high tides. A last sign warned the area was closed and it was unlawful to take oysters, clams, or mussels. Once clear of the signage, we walked onto a nice boardwalk and into the maritime forest. The boardwalk transitioned to hardpacked sand as we approached the shoreline of the estuary. It was low tide and the broad mudflat was exposed. Great blue heron and egrets glided in front of us over the seagrass. We took a different path inbound, walking closer along the water. The entire length of this afternoon walk was only a mile, but it was a most pleasant stroll.  

We returned to Crossroads in time to watch some bad basketball, which led into a colorful sunset.