Carolina Multisports Outer Banks Bike Tour

Outer Banks Bike Tour

History, Wildlife, and Wind in Your Hair

Discover the Outer Banks by Bike

Join us in the spirit of camaraderie, philanthropy, and sport on a 3-day, 300-mile fully supported charity ride along the coastal islands of North Carolina. The ride is self-paced and open to all abilities.

Joel Young in Manteo, NC

A backdrop of coastal beauty, shipwrecks, and pirates

Created by the convergence of the warm waters of the Gulf Stream heading north and the cold waters of the Labrador Current heading south, the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a unique chain of barrier islands extending far off the East Coast. The intersection of these currents not only created the Outer Banks but also acts as a global highway for sea turtles, fish, whales, migratory birds, and even bears and deer that frequent the area.

Because of its natural beauty, the Outer Banks of North Carolina has become a world-renowned destination for beachgoing, cycling, kite surfing, fishing, star gazing, and more.

But beware, the area is also known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, named for the many shipwrecks that succumbed to the shifting sands. The infamous pirate, Blackbeard, also reportedly used the narrow inlets as a way to collect tolls in and out of the Pamlico Sound during the early 1700’s.

Ocracoke Island
Bike Path in Duck, NC
Outer Banks, North Carolina

Pamlico Sound

The Pamlico Sound is the largest estuarine lagoon on the eastern seaboard of the US covering over 2,000 sq. miles. While its deepest recorded depth is only 26 feet, its average depth is only 5-6 feet. Because of the shallow depth, wide open expanses, and constant breeze, the sport of kite surfing is very popular.

Day 1 – 106 miles

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Click for GPS File and Cue Sheet

We’ll start in the bustling port town of Morehead City. We’ll see commerce in motion with large container ships coming and going and trains gathering their loads to distribute across the county. We’ll quickly head out into the countryside with marshland flanking the road. Migrating birds will be plentiful and keep your eye out for the occasional alligator.

At mile 41, we’ll ride the first of two ferries, from Cedar Island to Ocracoke Island. I recommend riding into town for ice cream or coffee and then over to the Ocracoke lighthouse. After only 14 more miles on the bike, we’ll ride the second ferry over to Cape Hatteras. Once in Hatteras, be sure to take a quick detour to see the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the nation’s tallest lighthouse.

From there, we’ll head due north along a thin ribbon of sand with the Atlantic Ocean on our right and Pamlico Sound on our left. Along the way be sure to stop for a break and check out the historic US lifesaving service station, Little Kinnakeet, just north of Avon, or stop in at a cozy coffee shop in Rodanthe and reminisce about the romantic movie filmed there, Nights in Rodanthe.

We’ll finish the day traversing Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Along the way, we’ll ride across two of the longest bridges on the Outer Banks. When crossing Oregon Inlet, keep your eye out for the numerous fishing boats coming and going from the port in Wanchese, where the famed reality TV series Wicked Tuna was filmed. 

We’ll be camping for the first of two nights at the Oregon Inlet Campground.

Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower

Being separated from the mainland, there is very little light pollution along the Outer Banks, making it the perfect place to star gaze. On a clear night, the Milky Way is easily seen with the naked eye. Lucky for us, the Eta Aquariid meteor shower is active between Apr. 15 and May 27.

Day 2 – 112 miles

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Click for GPS File and Cue Sheet

We’ll explore the northern end of the Outer Banks on Day Two, including the popular towns of Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Duck, and Corolla.

Immediately after leaving camp, you’ll want to take a quick detour over to the Bodie Island Lighthouse. We’ll add on a loop to include a tour of Manteo to get our 100 miles in for the day. On our way around Manteo, we’ll traverse the longest bridge in North Carolina at 5.2 miles.

After heading north again, Jockey’s Ridge State Park is always a favorite, featuring eastern America’s largest sand dunes. The soft dunes and consistent winds are what lured the Wright Brothers to North Carolina to test their gliders. The Wright Brothers’ monument is a definite photo op.

Stop in Duck for the famous Duck Donuts, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see the wild horses in Corolla.

We hit the halfway point of our Outer Bank tour in Corolla and the northernmost point of the Outer Banks before turning back south again. Most days of the year, the prevailing winds are coming from the north and going south. If we’re lucky we’ll have a tailwind for the rest of the trip.

On the way back to camp, stop at one of the many piers for some seafood!

 

Bodie Island Lighthouse

Bodie Island (Pronounced “body”) was originally known as Bodie’s Island or Body’s Island and got its name after the first immigrant settler, Robert Boddie or Boddy. With over 2000 documented shipwrecks off the coast of NC, folklore describes a darker reality of the bodies that may have washed ashore at times.

Ocracoke Lighthouse
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Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Stairs

Day 3 – 106 miles

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Click for GPS File and Cue Sheet

Whatever you didn’t get to do or see on the 1st day, you get to do today! Maybe you want to check out the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum or spend a little extra time exploring to town of Ocracoke. Whatever it is, don’t worry about the time. The ferry system runs until midnight. The ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke is about 30 min. The ferry from Ocracoke to Cedar Island is about 2 hours and 15 min.