A popular site for beachgoers is a trip to Jockey’s Ridge, the largest natural sand dune system on the East Coast. In this article, Drew Perry describes a day of hiking the sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
Jockey’s Ridge has an intriguing history from its namesake, a shifting sand dune, to vanished buildings buried under the sand. Today, the ridge is a huge draw on the Outer Banks and is part of the Jockey’s Ridge State Park. The park offers numerous outdoor activities for everyone, including the handicapped.
Quick action by Nag's Head citizens in 1973 saved Jockey's Ridge from development. Today it is a 414-acre state park and National Natural Landmark. The sand dune, which is ninety feet tall and a mile long, is moving south at a foot a year.
Where the Wright Brothers once flew, hang gliders now soar from Jockey's Ridge on the Outer Banks. John Harris, founder and owner of Kitty Hawk Kites, estimates he has taught 170,000 people to hang glide since 1974.