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JOCKEYS RIDGE sand dune and state park is located directly
across the street from Jockey’s Ridge Crossing Shopping
Center and is accessible to the state park via a stop
light pedestrian cross walk.
You can also view the ridge and the surrounding area
from a 45 foot tower on the site or from the deck of the two
story Jockeys
Ridge
Crossing
Shopping Center facing the
dunes. Jockey’s Ridge
Crossing is literally at the center of the Outer Banks, aka
OBX. It is
located at milepost 12 ˝ between the Beach Road
(Virginia Dare Trail) and the Bypass 158, or 3933 S. Croatan Highway, Nags Head, NC.
1. GEOLOGY
Jockey’s Ridge is the largest natural live dune on the east
coast of America.
It is preserved today as Jockey’s Ridge
State Park.
Folklore has it that land pirates used to walk along
the top of the dune at night with a horse (old nag) with
lantern around its neck that attracted ships at sea thinking
it was a ship with light on mast at safe harbor.
When the ship sailed in and ran aground, it was
ransacked by the local pirates.
In later years, there was horse racing on the flats
behind the dunes with spectators sitting on the slope of the
dune. Hence the
derivation of the names Jockey’s Ridge and Nags Head.
2. HISTORY
Jockey’s Ridge Crossing is located in the center of the Old
Nags Head Historic District.
The original beach resort town dating back to 1839
was founded on the soundside, just south of Jockey’s Ridge.
Here is where the ferries from Elizabeth City brought summer visitors who stayed
in hotels on the soundside and ventured to the beach by
horse drawn carts during the day time.
Later, people started to develop beach houses on the
ocean side. The
Nags Head beach row historic district is one of the best
examples of 1800s coastal architecture in the United States.
Many of these residences are on the National Historic
Register and are lovingly referred to as “the Unpainted
Aristocracy.
Jockey’s Ridge Crossing is the former site of the Old Nags
Head Casino, which was built in 1931.
Originally THE CASINO, as locals knew it, was a built
as a barracks for the Civil Conservation Core workers who
built the Wright Brothers monument.
Later it became a social center for the community and
a major entertainment attraction for the entire region.
Many famous entertainers and bands played at the THE
CASINO including Lou Armstrong, Fats Domino, Glenn Miller,
and many more.
The Casino is fondly remembered by many locals and visitors
as a highlight experience of their youth.
3.
SIGHTSEEING and HIKING
Climbing Jockey’s Ridge is something
that everyone has to do while they are on the Outer Banks.
The 85 foot high sand dune is a magnet for hikers.
Running or rolling down the dune is popular for kids.
The panorama view from the top of ocean to sound
dramatizes the narrowness of the Outer Banks.
At sundown, the sunset over the sound can be very
colorful. There
is generally a breeze to provide some air condition.
Allow approximately an hour for a leisurely crossing,
climb, and return. Besides hiking the dune, the State Park
has several interesting trails that you can explore.
There is also a soundside access for hikes along the
beach.
If you look about 4 miles to the north
you will see Kill Devil Hill and
Wright
Brothers
National Monument which
commemorates where the Wright Brothers fly the first
airplane in 1903.
At that time, Kill Devil Hill was an unvegetated dune
similar to what Jockey’s Ridge is today.
4. ACTIVITIES
Hang gliding is a popular activity on
the dune and lessons are available to the general public.
Sandboarding is allowed at certain times of the year.
Kite flying is highly popular and there are several
kiting competitions during the year.
Because of the open space, it is a particularly good
area for stunt kite flying.
Frisbee and other flying tows are also good.
Radio controlled sailplanes can be used when wind
conditions are good for soaring.
Hiking is always good and some people even jog up
and down the dunes for physical conditioning.
5. ATTRACTIONS
Jockeys
Ridge State
Park has a visitor center with
museum and auditorium for ranger programs.
A short walk south from Jockey’s Ridge Crossing on
the beach road (Virginia Dare Trail)
is the Nags Head Beachcomber Museum which has an
outstanding collection of locally found sea shells, some
very rare. They
also have an interesting collection of fulgurite fragments,
which are sand fusions from lightening strikes on the sand
dunes.
6. SHOPPING
Jockey’s
Ridge
Crossing
Shopping Center has 8 unique
locally owned shops totaling over 20,000 square feet of
retail space. It
is a great place to get a ice cream cone or some fresh fudge
after a climb up the dune, or perhaps taste some
North Carolina vintage wines.
It also has a wide variety of unique, privately owned
and operated shops.
You will find all kinds of sports apparel, t-shirts,
gifts, sportswear, fashions, fashion accessories, footwear,
kites, toys, stuffed bears, specialty wines and bears, old
time photos, sporting equipment, and much more.
It is definitely worth a visit to shop for a unique
gift to take back home or for yourself.
This is not your regular corner shopping center.
Come visit these exciting stores:
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