Arguably, the most diverse population of reptiles and amphibians on the Outer Banks have found a permanent home in Nags Head Woods. This unusual forest provides nesting spots for more than 50 species of birds and is home to a wide variety of mammals including raccoons, river otters, gray fox, white-tailed deer, and opossum. Insiders like to enter the forest in the fall and spring. Cooler weather and fewer mosquitos make the trek more appealing, and you have plenty of visiting birds and waterfowl to look for. The great blue heron and green heron are common to the woods.
Hikers can traipse over five miles of trails.
The Center Trail is a quarter-mile long and features scenic pond overlooks. The Sweetgrass Swamp Trail takes over an hour to hike through rolling hills of forests, dunes, and ponds. The Blueberry Ridge Trail connects to the Sweetgum Swamp Trail for a total length of 3.5 miles. And the Discovery Trail provides a quick quarter-mile view of the ponds, swamps, and dune ridges found on the longer trails. Visitation hours are 10 AM to 3 PM Monday through Friday during the off season and Monday through Saturday during the summer.