Outer Banks National & State Parks

Pea Island Visitor Center is open every day 9 to 4 year round. Information regarding wildlife or the refuge is readily available. Many activites are to be found here such as the crabbing rodeo held each June or Wings Over Water held each fall. Environmental Education Programs are offered upon request. Simply call to schedule a special program. Wildlife trails are spectacular and almost 13 miles of beautiful barrier island beaches are available for solitude and peaceful exploration.

Located on the northern portion of Currituck Sound on an Outer Banks barrier island are sandy beaches, maritime forests, shrub thickets and grassy dunes awaiting your exploration. Wading birds along with many other waterfowl inhabit the refuge. Reptiles, mammals and amphibians also call the refuge home. Loggerhead sea turtles and piping plover nest in this refuge. Established in 1984 to protect the endangered plover, sea loggerhead turtles and seabeach amaranth, this refuge is managed as a satellite of Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Established in 1984, this refuge has 152,000 acres of protected unique wetland. This area is one of the last remaining habitats for black bear on the east coat. Duck, geese, alligators and red wolves are among the concentration of animals living here. Open to the public year round, this refuge is remote and offers a challenge to the outdoor adventurer. Birders and photographers will find the refuge spectacular but difficult to maneuver. The best time to visit is when the weather is cooler. In the cooler weather, the insects are less active and some of the more lively reptiles are dormant.

At Jockey's Ridge State Park you can experience the world of the desert. Shifting sands, high winds, extreme temperatures and a lack of water make the park resemble barren environments such as the Sahara Desert. You also can explore the wonders of an estuarine environment. The tidal waters of the Roanoke Sound, the western boundary of the park, is a rich habitat for a variety of plant and animal life, making these waters the source of much of the sea's bounty.