Trails of NC - A Guide to Hiking in North Carolina

Welcome to Trails of NC

North Carolina boasts an abundance of great hiking trails. Here you'll find a guide to many of those trails, with maps, directions, photos and more.

Photo of the Month

The red admiral butterfly is an easily-identified species found widely in North America, Europe, and Asia. This image was taken at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve in October 2006.

The red admiral population is at its peak during summer months and can be found in open woodland. They favor nettles as a spot to lay eggs.

Featured Conservation Group

Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association

Dedicated to restoring and preserving Ellerbe Creek, this nonprofit celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. They recently acquired 32.5 acre Beaver Marsh, a key link in creating their planned network of preserves and trails in this crucial watershed.

Learn more about the Beaver Marsh aquisition here.

Fort Fisher State Recreation Area

This beach is the former site of Fort Fisher, a Civil War fort. Most of the fort has eroded away, but some remains can be seen. An intact WWII bunker remains near the site. The park's single hiking trail, the Basin Trail, travels along the beach, through maritime scrub forest, and over a lengthy boardwalk over marshes. The trail ends at the Basin Overlook.

08.22.09 - Our retooled galleries are now available.

08.18.09 - Our hiking guidebook, Best Easy Day Hikes Raleigh-Durham, is on shelves now. Updates to the site will become more frequent.

Love to hike? Consider volunteering to maintain local trails. It's a great way to enjoy nature, help your community, meet new people, and keep North Carolina beautiful!

Click to find local projects

Interactive Trail Finder

Click here to view our complete list of NC Trails.