There are so many bike trails on the Outer Banks that it is hard to know just which ones to write about. We just wrote about a ride to the Wright Brothers Memorial, so for right now we’ll stay in Kitty Hawk and take a look at the Woods Road Multi-use path.
This is a great family ride. Much of the ride is shaded by the leafy canopy of Kitty Hawk Woods and the multi-use path is completely separated from the road so young riders who are still mastering control of their bike won’t have to worry about cars. There are a couple up and downs—it’s hard to even call them a hill—so the ride is something event youngest rider should be able to accomplish.
The Woods Road intersects US158, Croatan Highway, about a quarter mile past the end of the Wright Memorial Bridge. It’s the second light. Just past the Dominion Power offices Paul Pruitt Park, a very well-maintained Kitty Hawk town park with a nicely shaded parking area—the perfect beginning point for the ride.
If the smallest ones really don’t feel up to riding, Paul Pruitt Park a marvelous park for toddlers with swings, a merry go round and picnic tables.
If the family is riding, just start riding.
About three miles into the ride, Twiford Street will intersect on the right. The choice is continue straight on the Woods Road or bear right onto Twiford. There is no wrong choice in this case.
The Woods Road ride will intersect Kitty Hawk Road in about a half mile. That’s a good turnaround point if little legs make it even that far.
The Twiford Street option can significantly lengthen the ride. The dense forest of Kitty Hawk Woods is part of the ride leading to a bridge over Jean Guite Creek. The road continues past some the oldest settled areas of the town. At the end of the road is Austin Cemetery with headstones dating its use to the 1880s and even a few earlier than that.
For riders who would like a longer ride, at the end of the Woods Road turn left onto Kitty Hawk Road. That will connect with Moor Shore Road in about a mile and a quarter which is part of the Wright Brothers ride we wrote about.
Be sure to take water. There are no stores on this route.
The Outer Banks offers so much for families to do. Bring the family to a Brindley Beach Vacations home and begin your exploration of this sandbar by the sea.