While the Crystal Coast of North Carolina is primarily known for our beautiful beaches and coastal activities, there are several noteworthy trails that offer a chance to explore some of the maritime forests and marshland of the area. If you’re looking to get outside with your dog, or just want to hike with your favorite human friends, I have great news- most of the trailheads in Carteret County are leashed dog friendly! There are some beautiful coastal dog friendly Emerald Isle that you won’t want to miss on your next adventure! 

After our recent trip to Hilton Head, I was inspired to write a post on the great trailheads in South Carolina and realized I still need to share our favorite trails from our own hometown! After visiting here my entire life and living in the area for over 10 years, I’ve scouted out some of my favorite trails and they’re all dog friendly!

While there are plenty of options to stretch your legs in the area, we often find ourselves frequenting the same great trails! Keep reading to find out some of the best dog friendly Emerald Isle trails and why we love them so much!  

Emerald Isle Woods 

9404 Coast Guard Road, Emerald Isle, NC 

The Emerald Isle Woods Trail is part of 41 acers of protected Maritime Forest on Emerald Isle. The nature reserve includes scenic trails that meander through the woods, marshes and along Bogue Sound. There is also a full disc-golf course and picnic area.

You’ll find the entrance to Emerald Woods and the trailhead on the righthand side off of Coast Guard Road. The trail itself is a total of 1.7 miles with multiple environments to explore along the trail including forest, dunes and a moss covered section. My favorite area of the trail is the long dock (including floating Kayak Launch) that has some of the best views of the Emerald Isle Bridge on the island! 

There are also a couple of great overlooks of Bogue Sound! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for deer and song-birds while you walk! The entrance to the main part of the trail has a Pavilion perfect for a picnic and a newly built bathroom. The trail is very well maintained despite being a little steep with roots in some areas. However, the area to the dock is a combination of paved and boardwalks and is handicap accessible. There are a few parts of the path that are a bit narrow with a moderate incline (although you can only go up so high on an island).

We like to follow the trail into the westernmost section so that we can see some of the swampy areas- a great hangout for reptiles and amphibians! We loop our way back towards the entrance through the inner trails in the forest section and will often find areas that are densely covered with beautiful moss. The trail is open year-round from sunrise to sunset.  

Cedar Point Tideland Trail 

Forest Route 153A, Swansboro, NC 

The Cedar Point Tideland Trail is our favorite trail in the area! I enjoy it so much that it even made my post on the Hidden Gems of the Crystal Coast! The well maintained 1.3 mile loop includes many different coastal environments including marshes, tidal flats and maritime forests! There is also a short inner 0.6 mile loop you can follow or take the outer loop for a longer trail. Both trails have a nice relatively even surface. I love this trail so much because of the boardwalks that go over the marsh and the shallow water that the dogs can get their paws wet in! The trail also has great panoramic views of the White Oak River and always has plenty of coastal birds to catch the dog’s attention! Pro Tip: due to the location this trail floods easily after large storms. Keep that in mind when you go and be sure to pack bug spray especially in the summer months!  

While not technically on the island this dog friendly Emerald Isle trail is just across the bridge. The trail begins from the parking lot at the Cedar Point Campground just off of Highway 58. There is a bathroom located in the parking lot near the trailhead and a public boat ramp! Leaving from the parking lot, I like to follow the first fork on the trail to the left. This direction starts with the majority of the boardwalks and coastal marsh. Keep your eyes out for fiddler crabs and invertebrates and raccoon tracks in the mud. 

There are a few access areas to the sound where your pup can get their feet wet. You’ll meander over multiple long boardwalks and the sound until eventually making your way back through the maritime forest. The forest section of the trail has a few small bridges and sneak through views of the marsh that you will pass on your way to complete the loop. The tideland trail is always well maintained, well trafficked and very dog friendly! 

Patsy Pond Trail 

3614 NC Highway 24, Newport, NC 

The Patsy Pond Trail strolls through the Croatan National Forest and is a great way to stretch your legs in the middle of the largest Longleaf Pine Forest in the area! There are three different trails ranging in length, with the longest being 1.9 miles. I love walking the trail and enjoying the sheer height of the Longleaf Pines that seem to dwarf everything in comparison. 

There are also a few small ponds that attract animals like deer, fox, lizards, and even black bears if you’re lucky! Fun Fact- This area is also home to a threatened species of amphibians, the Gopher Toad, which depends on the forest fires this unique ecosystem needs to survive! Pro Tip: Always be sure to check to see if they’re conducting controlled burns before heading to the trail-frequent in the spring and fall months.  

The trailhead is located off Highway 24 in Newport, directly across from the NC Coastal Federation. Make sure to bring plenty of water as there is no water or bathrooms. While the trail is easy to follow, be careful of tree roots and wear sunscreen and bug spray in the summer. The trees offer good shade, but due to their height there are some unshaded areas! The trail is open from dawn until dusk year-round.

The Roosevelt Trail 

1 Roosevelt Boulevard, Pine Knoll Shores, NC 

The Roosevelt Trail is located on the grounds of the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. The trail gets its name from President Roosevelt whose family donated the maritime to the state for conservation. The out and back trail is a total of 1.2 miles that meanders through the Maritime Forest. The trail crosses old dune ridges and follows the edge of the marsh to a small sound side beach. The Roosevelt Trailhead is located just outside the Aquarium entrance and open until 4:30pm each day. 

This dog friendly trail is free to visit, although the NC Aquarium does have a paid entrance fee, it is something that you won’t to miss if you’re exploring the Crystal Coast with Kids! While the aquarium is off limits to pups, the trail welcomes them if they are on a leash! After entering the aquarium parking lot go all the way toward the end past the main aquarium entrance. There, you’ll see the entrance to the trailhead which is very clearly marked. The trail begins by meandering through old live oak trees in the dense maritime forest.

After walking through the forest, you’ll realize that you are on a spit of the island with Bogue Sound on the right and a smaller estuary on the left. The estuary is a great place to look for turtles and lizards. There is a short loop at the end of the trail that opens to Sound before retracing your steps to the parking lot.

The loop offers wonderful views of the sound, which is a great place to look for birds as well as a wonderful calm swimming place for dogs. Since the trail is rather narrow, I suggest saving this trail for cooler months as the dogs are a magnet for ticks in the summer and the shady forest is a haven for biting flies. This trail is much more enjoyable in the winter and offers great views year-round! 

Elliott Coues Nature Trail 

2303 East Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, NC 

The Elliott Coues Nature Trail is a part of Fort Macon State Park and is a fun trail to explore near Emerald Isle. The Elliott Coues Nature Trail is a large loop trail stretching 3.3 miles roundtrip on the grounds of the state park and is the longest as well as one of the most beautiful trails on my list. The Fort was built before the civil war and was used actively through WWII. It is fun to go checkout the historical grounds, see old cannons and learn a lot about our military history. Best of all entrance is free! While the actual Fort itself is off limits to dogs, the surrounding grounds are leashed dog and bicycle friendly! (Note- while you should never leave dogs in a parked car it is illegal in the town limits here).  

The fort is located at the very east end of Atlantic Beach. You can easily access the trailhead from either the beach parking lot (first right after you enter the State Park) or the parking lot near the Fort (follow the road all the way to the end).  If you’re traveling with kids’ checkout the Kids in Parks program! I suggest starting near the fort and following the trail towards the righthand side. Just look for the big sign showing the trailhead. You’ll start by walking through the maritime forest that is full of beautiful, twisted oak trees. It offers great canopies and is the shadiest portion of the hike. Since it hugs the marsh, it also has peak throughs and large openings with great views of Bogue Sound. 

The forest itself is gorgeous and the outlooks are awesome place to look for coastal birds like Ibis and Osprey. At the halfway point, you’ll see the beach parking lot to the right that has bathrooms and water fountains. Then you’ll follow the trail over the sand dunes with great views of the dunes, ocean and Beaufort Inlet. We always see a ton of lizards and skinks, so be sure to keep your eye out! And if you get extra lucky you may even see some dolphins along the beach as well! Pro Tip- This section of the trail has very little shade so be sure to wear sunscreen and bring water for you and your pup, especially in the summer as it can get quite hot! 

Dogs are welcome on the trail, as well as the beach, just be sure to keep them always leashed! The trail is well trafficked and groomed but there are a lot of cacti off of the trail. Cactus are found especially on the dunes section of the trail, so be sure to keep your dogs on the trail at all times! The Elliott Coues Nature Trail is definitely a Crystal Coastal dog friendly trail worth checking out while visiting Emerald Isle, NC! 

Hoop Pole Creek Nature Trail 

1010 West Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, NC 

If you’re looking for a quick trail to stretch your legs checkout the Hoop Pole Creek Trail! This short 1 mile round trip trail is well maintained and handicap friendly with great boardwalks! It flows through thick maritime forests around Hoop Pole Creek.  

The creek and adjoining forest are part of a very special estuary environment which remains wet most of the year. This means it is home to a variety of unique tree’s and also means you should be sure to pack your bug spray! There are signs along the walk offering information about the local plant and animal life as well as the ecology of the island.  

The trail opens for great view of Bogue Sound and has a picnic area at the end. The trail is dog, bicycle (and stroller) friendly and is easy to access in Atlantic Beach. You’ll find the trailhead in the Atlantic Beach Food Lion Parking area directly next to Bojangles.  

The Rachel Carson Reserve 

The Rachel Carson Reserve, located near Beaufort, NC includes the hardest to get to trail on my list. It includes such a unique area to explore and hike in that I’ve decided to dedicate an entire post to the reserve! Be sure to sign up and follow along! It is a dog friendly Emerald Isle trail you cannot miss!