Trails

2303 East Fort Macon Road
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512

GPS: 34.697952, -76.678340

Fort Macon: 9am - 5:30pm daily.

Coastal Education and Visitor Center: 9am - 5pm daily.

Bookstore: 9am - 5pm Phone 252-247-3100

Bathhouse Area:
November - February:
8am - 5:30pm
March & October 8am - 7pm
April, May and September: 8am - 8pm
June - August: 8am - 9pm

Fort Parking Area:
October - March: 8am - 6pm
April, May and September: 8am - 7pm
June - August: 8am - 8pm

Closed Christmas Day

Swimming Area:
10am - 5:45pm Memorial Day until Labor Day, if staffing permits

Park Office
8am - 1pm, 2pm - 5pm Monday - Friday
Closed state holidays

List of trails

Fort Macon has over 1.5 miles of ocean beach for hiking. As you walk along the beach you may see one of the 302 different species of birds found in the park or experience the thrill of watching dolphins playing in the ocean.

Beach Trail

Location: On the beach

Description:

The beach is always available for hikes. As you walk along the beach you may see one of the 302 different species of birds found in the park or experience the thrill of watching dolphins playing in the ocean.

Surface: sand

Length:
1.50 miles
one way

Difficulty:
easy

Blaze:

You can walk on the beach at Fort Macon State Park

Elliott Coues Nature Trail

Location: North end of the Fort area parking lot & Northeast corner of the Beach Access parking lot

Description:

The Elliott Coues Nature Trail is a new hiking trail that connects the Fort area with the Swim Beach area. It stretches approximately 3.2 miles round trip and travels along the marsh, through the maritime forest, and through the sand dunes. The trail can be accessed both at the Fort parking lot or the Beach Access parking lot. Park visitors are reminded that these two parking lots have separate closing times and these times change throughout the year based on the month, so please be mindful of your time if you start your hike later in the afternoon.

Surface: natural surface, sand, gravel, boardwalk/bridge

Length:
3.20 miles
loop

Difficulty:
moderate

Blaze:
Yellow Circles

Hiking

Biking

Yarrow's Loop

Location: Fort Parking Lot

Description:

Yarrow's Loop is a short quarter mile nature trail that starts and ends at the north end of the fort parking lot. Information signs along the trail tell about some of the common plants and animals that can be found in the park.

Surface: natural surface

Length:
0.25 miles
loop

Difficulty:
easy

Blaze: