The tallest living sand dune on the atlantic coast is a premier location for kites, sightseeing and sunsets, with a view arcing from the ocean to roanoke sound. Jockeys ridge is made up of almost 30 million tons of sand and is the tallest living. Two selfguided trails and nature programs available yearround. Jockeys ridge state park nags head 2020 all you need. The history of north carolinas outer banks is as ancient and mesmerizing as its. In 1973, the division issued a report in favor of the park and, a year later, the dune was declared a national natural landmark. The friends of jockey s ridge is a nonprofit organization established in 1990 for the support and maintenance of programs and the development of facilities of jockey s ridge state park. See jockey s ridge state park on north carolina now.
Facilities include a natural history museum, restrooms and 8 picnic shelters with tables and grills. Their mission is to support, enhance and promote jockey s ridge state park as a significant geologic feature of the outer banks, north carolina. Everything you need to know about jockeys ridge state park. An old postcard depicts the road on sound side, nags head, n. Jockeys ridge state park is a 420acre area with lush maritime forests. Jockeys ridge is the largest sand dune on the east coast and is found on the outer banks of north carolina. Explore the events, scenery and history of jockey s ridge state park in this short video prepared for our 2016 centennial year of north carolina s state parks. In 1975, the general assembly appropriated funds to create jockeys ridge state park. The initial acquisition of 194 acres was a collaborative. In his book the outer banks of north carolina, david stick writes of. An old map, which is displayed in the parks museum, has the ridge spelled jackey. In his book the outer banks of north carolina, david stick writes of early visitors noting the shifting sands often covering residences that peppered the dunes, but no specific location was given. Located in nags head, north carolina, it covers a 427acre area, and includes the tallest active sand dune system in the eastern united states.
The sand is mostly quartz rock which came from the mountains millions of years ago. The name jockeys ridge dates back to 1753, in a grant to john campbell, though back then they called it jockeys hill. The largest sand dunes on the united states east coast, jockeys ridge state park is home to hang gliding, kite flying, and nature. It is the most visited park within the nc park system. Jockeys ridge state park nags head 2020 all you need to. Though some speculate that the name came from a family called jackeys, the accepted explanation is a lot more fun. By the early part of the 19 th century, nags head was becoming a vacation destination notable enough to support the elaborate nags head hotel in the jockey s ridge. If you are a history buff or just enjoy learning the history of places you visit. The park is a dayuse only park and has no campgrounds. Welcome to north carolinas outer banks jockeys ridge state.
Jockeys ridge state park is a north carolina state park in dare county, north carolina in the united states. Explore jockeys ridge state park, home to the tallest sand dune on this side of the. The parks visitor center features a museum about the cultural and natural history of the park, including sand dunes, plants and wildlife. Friends of jockeys ridge state park outer banks, nc. I recently travelled to the outer banks and got this book to learn about the area. The amount of sand making up the 420 acres of jockey s ridge is equal to about 6,000,000 dump truck loads. The states division of parks and recreation was asked to study the feasibility of making jockeys ridge a state park. Jockeys ridge state park is very cool because there not a lot of places like this. A visitor center with museum and 360foot boardwalk with exhibits explain the dunes ecology and are a gradual entry to the massive dune field. Our mission is to support, enhance and promote jockey s ridge state park as a significant geologic feature of the outer banks, north carolina.
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