The Outer Banks is a place that calls out for photography. There are sunrises and sunsets; catch a full moon rising from a calm see and the place looks like a tropical paradise.
Mostly when tour guides talk about where to go to get a great shot, directions describe how easy it is to get to the site for the picture. But here at Brindley Beach Vacations sometimes we like to do things a little differently.
So here are three places to go to get a great picture to remind you of the Outer Banks that are not quite as easy to get to.
Run Hill, Kill Devil Hills
A little bit difficult to even find it, and there is really no marked parking areas, but Run Hill State Natural Area is a hidden gem that once found will never be forgotten.
It is only 127 acres but it is living dune and climbing to the top of a 55’ dune in soft shifting say is challenging…but worth it.
Unlike Jockey’s Ridge, which is also a living dune, there is considerable vegetation on the dune. Among the copse of trees, songbirds sing out in the spring and summer. Butterflies flit past.
Along the western edge, there is a spectacular view of Buzzard’s Bay and Albemarle Sound.
It will be a work out for your legs, but worth it.
Park on West Corrington Street. There’s room for two or three cars by the entrance.
Jockey’s Ridge
Some of the most spectacular sunsets and sunrises to be seen on the Outer Banks are at Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
As sand dunes go, it’s massive—70-80’ and sometimes a little higher, so getting to the top can be challenging.
But there is a lot more to this 427 acre park than the dune.
In the summer after a hard rain, check out the internal pond that is at the end of the boardwalk. There’s a good chance the spade foot frogs will have emerged from the sand.
Head over to the soundside. May through September, there’s usually an osprey family in residence. And a small but fascinating maritime forest to explore.
Old Oregon Inlet Coast Guard Station, North End Pea Island
Crossing over the Marc Basnight Bridge, the Old Oregon Inlet Coast Guard Station cannot be missed, and it’s a great subject for photography.
But take an hour or two, park in the lot at the foot of the south end of the bridge and see if there is anything else worth a picture or two.
Heading out to the ocean, it’s right the south point of Oregon Inlet, and fishing boats are constantly heading out to sea or in to port.
Frame it just right and there’s a great shot of a boat plowing through Oregon Inlet with the Bodie Island Lighthouse in the background.
There are usually a lot of birds around as well.
Figure about a mile or a mile and a half in sand—tiring but worth it.