Cedar Point Tideland Trail

Description

The Cedar Point Tideland Trail is a National Recreation Trail in the Croatan National Forest, set in the salt marsh and coastal forest where the White Oak River meets Bogue Sound. Two loops share one trailhead. The shorter loop, about 0.6 mile, is level and wide enough for wheelchairs, with interpretive signs and benches as it crosses the marsh and follows its edge. The longer loop, about 1.3 miles, continues along the river and winds over the marsh and through the woods before rejoining the short loop. The route mixes boardwalks with smooth gravel paths. At low tide, herds of fiddler crabs scuttle across the mud while egrets, herons and kingfishers hunt the tidal creeks, and ospreys are most common from March through October. White-tailed deer and lizards are also regular sightings. The surrounding Cedar Point Recreation Area adds picnic tables, a small fishing pier and a shallow-water boat ramp, and canoes and kayaks can follow the marsh canals and pass under the trail's boardwalk. The trail is free, and dogs must stay on a leash. In warm months, mosquitoes, ticks and chiggers are active and yellow flies appear in May and June, so insect repellent and sunscreen help, and poison ivy grows along the trail edges. Hurricanes and tropical storms occasionally close the area for a short time.