Finding Zen at the Nags Head Woods

“If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have
learned how to live.” Lin Yutang

It is difficult to consider any time spent in nature as “useless,” but from the point of view
of a culture overrun with to-do lists and daily schedules, an afternoon spent hiking and
relaxing in the woods may appear that way. Actually, a lot of activities found on the
Outer Banks may seem “useless” from this perspective, but this is a world-class vacation
destination after all, and we owe it to ourselves to slow down and enjoy as many
“useless” days and “useless” experiences as possible.

With a little exploration off the beaten path, the Outer Banks offers endless opportunities
to discover new experiences to help waste away the hours of the day. Nags Head Woods
offers a great opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and even the
hustle and bustle of the beach. A maritime forest seems to defy nature; the Outer Banks
is only a few miles wide with water on both sides, yet a 1,400 acre maritime forest thrives
in such an unlikely location.

On a warm, sunny, late-August afternoon, I found myself wandering aimlessly through

the vast Woods. I picked that random afternoon to slow the pace of my everyday life and
try to capture some of the beauty of late summer on the Outer Banks. My afternoon
journey led me to a remote area of the island that would be difficult to find if you didn’t
know where you were headed (see directions below).

As I stepped from my car and began to meander through the Woods, I was immediately
greeted by the type of silence only nature can offer…the buzzing of insects, the chirp of
songbirds, and the trickle of water running through streams. The air was warm, but the
breeze was cool, and the towering trees provided a blanket of shade that blocked the hot
afternoon sun. I chose a trail at random and headed on my way. Nags Head Woods
offers a variety of trails and endless nooks and crannies to escape for a relaxing rest or
quiet contemplation. I allowed my mind to slow and gathered my thoughts, and I took
time to watch and enjoy the natural environment bursting with life around me. An
afternoon spent with nature can help keep life in perspective.

When I rounded a bend at the end of one of the trails and found myself facing the Nature
Conservancy building, it dawned on me that not only is Nags Head Woods an amazing
area to help you get back to nature and unwind, but it is also incredibly important from an
ecological perspective. My mission morphed from a purely Zen related retreat to include
the larger perspective of a Zen retreat with an abundance of educational and
environmental importance. I gathered all of the information I could and set out to inform
myself about the unique qualities of this rare environment. It turns out that Nags Head
Woods is vastly important to the local ecosystem, and it is one of the few remaining areas
of its kind.

The site stretches more than three miles along the western side of Bodie Island adjacent
to some of the Outer Banks’ most intense residential and commercial development.
Owned jointly by The Nature Conservancy and the Town of Nags Head and Kill Devil
Hills, it has long been recognized as one of NC’s most important natural areas.
Approximately 1200 of the 1400-acre system is now in conservation management.
According to pond sediment and pollen samples, woody plant communities have existed
on the site for more than 1000 years.

Nags Head Woods is a complex maritime forest system overlying an extensive dune
ridge-swale system with elevations ranging from sea-level to more than 90’. Two of the
largest active sand dunes on the East Coast, Run Hill and Jockey's Ridge, run along the
northern and southern borders of the preserve. Shielded from the ocean winds by the
dune ridges, Nags Head Woods features a diversity of plant and animal life that is
unusual to find on a barrier island.

The forest includes a variety of ecological community types, including three classified by
the NC Natural Heritage Program as globally rare. These three rare community types are
maritime deciduous forest, maritime swamp forest and maritime shrub swamp. This
extensive ecological preserve protects a remarkable range of unique habitats, including
forested dunes, interdune ponds, marshes, and wetlands. Nags Head Woods is North
Carolina's most biologically diverse maritime forest; its acres of wetland, dune and
hardwood forest habitat make this site one of the best remaining examples of a mid-
Atlantic maritime forest and a national natural landmark.

Towering oaks, hickories, and beech trees, some hundreds of years old, rise from the sand
and create a canopy of trees more typical of the mountains of the eastern United States.
Over 100 species of birds have been documented at Nags Head Woods. The preserve is
an important nesting area for more than 50 species. Fifteen species of amphibians and
28 species of reptiles have been documented as well. The freshwater ponds are inhabited
by seven species of fish and many reptiles and amphibians in addition to a great diversity
of floating aquatic plant life, including the rare water violet. An extensive marsh system
bordering Roanoke Sound on the western side of the preserve supports a wealth of
wildlife including river otter, egrets, herons, and many species of migratory waterfowl.

At one point during my afternoon journey a butterfly chose to bob and weave along the
trail with me. I watched with feigned disinterest in the hopes that butterfly would remain
as my travel companion for a while. As I gazed at its erratic movements I was struck by
its carefree nature. It seemed to be without a care in the world, and it helped me realize
that when we take time to reconnect with the nature that is around us, we too can share in
this carefree feeling.

Vacation is the perfect opportunity to live without cares, and Nags Head Woods is an
ideal spot to retrieve your Zen-like mindset while at the same time witnessing one of the
Outer Banks most remarkable natural treasures.

Nags Head Woods Facts & Information:

Ownership:
Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve
701 West Ocean Acres Drive
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 441-2525

Operated by The Nature Conservancy, it hosts approximately 10,000 visitors annually.

Hours of Operation:
Open from dawn to dusk every day of the week.

Activities & Amenities:

Hiking/Birding/Parking/Outdoor Information Counter/Restrooms

Note:
Dogs and bikes are not allowed on the trails. However, the outer lying roads that run
beside the preserve are well shaded and provide a great opportunity for walks with the
dog or comfortable bike ride.

Directions:
Take US 158 to Kill Devil Hills. Turn West near Mile Post 9 ½ (at the traffic light across
from McDonald’s) on Ocean Acres Drive. Proceed through a residential subdivision for
approximately a mile until you reach the entrance to Nags Head Woods Preserve on your
left. Trail maps and guides are available at the outdoor information counter.