Outer Banks Bicycle Routes

1. Manteo to Pineapple Beach - Multi-Use Path - 5.35 mi

Historic downtown Manteo is home to The Outer Banks Trail Center, a public space dedicated to outdoor recreation, access, and inclusion.  The small shack embodies the spirit of stewardship, providing a shaded refuge for drifting into daydreams.  A mile S, Manteo Cyclery offers reliable rentals and repairs.  This casual path passes the Cemetery on Wingina and Freedmen’s Colony 1863 site before arriving at Delvillar’s Pineapple Beach on the Umstead Bridge S side.

2. ORV Ramp 4 to S Nags Head - Hwy Shoulder - 3.85 mi

Oregon Inlet Campground is the ONLY place for year-round tent camping N of Hatteras Island, making this section essential for bikepackers and car campers. The shoulders on this stretch of the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway are narrow, but regularly maintained to mitigate debris.  However, hurried Hwy 12 vehicles may exceed 55-mph or pass in oncoming lanes.  This route, in sight of Bodie Lighthouse, is intended for experienced and vigilant riders only.

3. S Nags Head to Whalebone - Multi-Use Path - 4.75 mi

ORV Ramp 1 at the S end of Nags Head village provides public parking, beach access, and unfiltered views of Hatteras National Seashore.  This sleepy straightaway features a parallel path for the entire length of S Oregon Inlet Road, which pools rainwater after showers.  Please share the pavement with walkers, runners, scooters, skaters, and other cyclists while minding cars exiting hidden driveways.  Iconic green milepost markers will help track distance.

4. Whalebone to N Nags Head - Multi-Use Path - 6.50 mi

Whalebone Park provides auxiliary parking across “The Beach Road” from Jennette’s Pier.  This nostalgic but freshly paved route features vintage motels, restaurants, retailers, churches, and over two dozen public beach access sites.  Traffic increases on this stretch, but the multi-use path extends the entire 6.5-mile length, making for great family rides.  Also, trash collection days are Monday and Thursday, so be aware of stray bins knocked down by the wind.

5. N Nags Head to Kill Devil Hills - Road Shoulder - 1.55 mi

The Nags Head multi-use path transitions to KDH road shoulder at milepost 10 of Hwy 12, AKA Virginia Dare Trail.  Although the shoulder is wide, this section is not recommended for kids or casual cyclists expecting a joyride.  The green Bike Route 1 sign at historic Ocean Bay Lifesaving Station marks the NCDOT Wright Brothers Bikeway and the safest route to Kitty Hawk.  Fortunately, nearby shops offer parts and service for surprise malfunctions.

6. Kill Devil Hills to Moor(e) Shore - Multi-Use Path - 5.00 mi

Route 1 passes Wright Brothers Memorial and First Flight Airport on the N of Colington Road, with a tree-lined greenway connecting to scenic Bay Drive.  This family-friendly track also features soundside public parks with shaded shelter views along Kitty Hawk Bay.  Windgrass Circle Park provides free parking for the S entry to the Wright Brothers Multi-Use Path.  Before becoming aviators, Orville and Wilbur were pioneer bike builders traveling this ground in 1900.

7. Moor(e) Shore to Sandy Run - Road Shoulder - 1.55 mi

Though narrow and shoulderless, Moor(e) Shore Road is a surreal quarter-mile.  Resist the bliss of hypnosis while appreciating the living shoreline, creek bridge, and Wright Brothers Garage Monument on the Tate House lawn. To the N, Route 1 lanes line both sides of 35-mph Kitty Hawk Road, but be prepared for blind curves, random rubbish, and black bins S of Woods Road.  Riders experienced in navigating traffic and obstacles may pursue this track.

8. Sandy Run to Chicahauk - Multi-Use Path - 3.05 mi

Sandy Run Park is a great staging area with parking, water, shelter, portas, and a crosswalk to the W of the Woods Road and Pruitt Path.  Alternatively, the road shoulder is less than one foot wide.  Although the road speed limit is 35-mph, please use the side path as large utility trucks regularly transport materials on this route.  Surrounded by mature maritime forest, consider the sidetracks before reaching “The Bypass”/Croatan Hwy and the wide path on the N.

9. Chicahauk to Duck Landing - Multi-Use Path - 5.20 mi

Public parking is available at both endpoints of this segment, at the Southern Shores Municipal Complex and Town of Duck Park.  The sidewalk at the S end of this section shifts from W to E at the “Community of Volunteers” sign and Triangle Park pole.  Dismount to use the crosswalk at the blue NC 12/Duck Road Path marker.  This route has special local charms, with traditional beach box homes, funky yard decor, and native tree limbs cresting over the pavement.

10. Duck Landing to County Line - Multi-Use Path - 4.65 mi

The Town of Duck has bike lanes AND sidewalks on both sides of Hwy 12 within the commercial corridor. N of the newly installed living shoreline, the wide multi-use path passes the Duck Fire Department, Army Corps of Engineers tower, and the former site of Caffey Inlet - a waterway connecting the ocean and sound from 1770-1811. The road N to the remote frontier was originally paved in 1987 and recently repaved with rumble strips on the shoulder lines.

Safety Details

Prior to riding, make sure your bike is mechanically safe, especially tires, wheels, shifters, and brakes.  Similarly, think function before fashion when choosing visible shirts that provide UV protection and pants tapered away from chains.  Consider wearing a fluorescent vest or sunglasses that reflect glare and critically prevent loose sand from blowing into your eyes.  Helmets are recommended for adults and required for children under 16 in North Carolina.

Importantly, the Great Trails State views bicycles as vehicles and riders as drivers.  Cyclists must dismount their bikes at crosswalks to be recognized as pedestrians with the right-of-way.  Although it is law for vehicles to stop, do not assume that drivers will see and obey.  From dusk til dawn, bikes are required to use a front light and a red tail light or reflective clothing visible from 300 feet.  Notably, NC impaired driver laws (.08) apply to cyclists, so always ride sober.  

You will be sharing these community paths with others traveling at their own pace including: strollers, shoppers, commuters.  Please show patience and call out to people you are passing from behind.  Alternatively, e-bikes are limited to 750w motors capable of reaching unassisted 20-mph on level ground.  E-bikes may use sidewalks unless restricted by ordinance.  For safety’s sake, choose marked, paved, public paths instead of shoulders when available.

Local Insights

Bicycles are an ideal mode of travel on the Outer Banks, combining exercise with efficiency while touring the countless natural, cultural, and historic landmarks. This photo story focuses on established public paths, intentionally omitting dangerous dragways.  For example: Inspiring rides along the Atlantic “Beach Road” are possible in the off-season, but are not recommended during the busy summer season due to erratic traffic and sand strewn shoulders.  

Concerning bridges, riding from the mainland to the barrier islands is not advised, based on 55-mph speed limits, exposure to vehicles, and isolation from emergency services.  However, advanced cyclists and bikepackers do benefit from wider shoulders, decent visibility and  “Share the Road” signage on the 3-mile Basnight Bridge, Ethridge Bridge, and “Jug Handle” Bridge which combine to connect Nags Head and Bodie Island to Rodanthe and Hatteras Island. 

This project was made possible by a grant from the Outer Banks Community Foundation, which allowed for the purchase of a fat bike and gear from Manteo Cyclery.  The grant also funded a 1-month bikepacking trek from Roanoke Island to False Cape, VA in February 2025.  This expedition included primitive tent camping through a snowstorm, followed by a week at Oregon Inlet Campground, and THE OBX WAY adopting the beach S of ORV Ramp 4 access.