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 A
Glimpse of Historic
Fairfield -
This walking/riding tour in the heart of Hyde County meanders through the
Fairfield Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1985. This pleasant rural village includes rare, intact examples
of the Italianate and Carpenter Gothic style buildings.
 Historic Lake Landing
Landmarks
– Eastern Hyde County is highlighted in this riding tour of the Lake Landing
Historic District, comprising 13,400 acres and twenty-five homes, churches
and other buildings. This entire agricultural district is part of the early
18th century Mattamuskeet Indian Reservation.
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 Hyde County’s
Talking
Houses & Historic Places
–
A novel way to enjoy the
quieter pace of life is to do it from the comfort of your car. Ten historic
sites are equipped with AM radio transmitters that provide ready information
– just set your AM radio dial to the appropriate frequency shown for that
site, sit back, listen and learn!
Ocracoke Historical Interpretative Trail
– Ocracoke’s historical, natural and cultural attractions are featured on
this tour of the island. Whether you decide to walk or bike the route,
you’re sure to enjoy the scenery – a picturesque harbor, shady streets,
memorable sunrises and sunsets, and a pristine beach – as you discover this
barrier island’s secrets.
Historic
Albemarle Tour
-
Mattamuskeet Lodge on the Mainland and Historic Ocracoke
 are two of the
thirty sites on this driving tour that stretches through 15 northeast North
Carolina counties. The sites vary from historic and cultural attractions to
those that interpret the natural beauty and ecology of the region. Whether
your interest is Colonial North Carolina, Civil War, Native American, or the
environment, you’re sure to find just the right match along this North
Carolina heritage trail. For more information, visit
www.historicalbemarletour.com .
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 Hammock Hills Nature
Trail – With
wind and waves of the mighty Atlantic Ocean sounding from a distance, and
the calmer waters of the Pamlico Sound lapping nearby, a walk down this
trail on Cape Hatteras National Seashore on Ocracoke Island is sure to get
you in tune with nature. Nearly 400 species of birds have been sighted
within the Seashore. The surrounding salt marshes offer habitat for other
microorganisms and wildlife. Just up the road apiece you’ll find what is
thought to be the descendants of the ‘banker ponies,’ marooned here hundreds
of years ago when the ships carrying them met their fate in dangerous shoals
of the Graveyard of the Atlantic.
 Charles Kuralt Trail –
The county’s four National Wildlife Refuges are featured on this trail,
established to help people enjoy these wildlands and to recognize the
broadcast journalist who shared the delights and wonders of out-of-the-way
places such as these. Alligator River NWR was established in 1984 and
contains 152,000 acres of habitat especially important to black bears
and red wolves, and is a haven for waterfowl and other migratory birds.
Pocosin Lakes NWR provides over 112,000 acres of habitat for
red-cockaded woodpeckers, waterfowl, neotropical migratory birds, red
wolves, black bears, and white-tailed deer. Mattamuskeet NWR is known
for the thousands of wintering waterfowl such as the tundra swan that it
attracts each year. Swan Quarter NWR was established in 1932 and
includes key areas that are particularly important to migratory waterfowl
and other marsh birds.
 Scenic Byways –
Three of North
Carolina’s numerous Scenic Byways traverse through Hyde County. The
Alligator River Route is a 71-mile, byway that begins near
Mattamuskeet Lake and travels north through Mattamuskeet NWR and the
historic village of Fairfield and through neighboring counties before ending
on Roanoke Island on the Outer Banks. Beginning in Whalebone Junction,
another Outer Banks village, and stretching 111 miles south to Beaufort,
North Carolina, the Outer Banks Scenic Byway encompasses all of
Ocracoke Island – from the Hatteras Ferry to the Cedar Island Ferry. Hyde
County’s portion of the 127-mile Pamlico Scenic Byway begins at the
western end of the county and ends across the county at its most easternmost
point, showcasing the natural beauty and wildlife of this tranquil county.
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 North Carolina Bike Route 2 –
Stretching 700 miles
from the North Carolina mountains to the sea, this bike route has two
segments within Hyde County. The Mattamuskeet segment, along the
Pamlico Sound, lets you explore the numerous inlets and bays of the area.
While in Swan Quarter, you may choose to take the ferry to Ocracoke or
continue on through the eastern part of the county on the Outer Banks
segment. Either route will get you to your final destination – the sea and
the Outer Banks.
 North Carolina Coastal Plain Paddle Trails
- Three different
waterways within the county have been designated as paddle trails. Paddlers
can observe the natural beauty and remoteness of the region or visit the
small communities along the way and explore historic sites. The Alligator
River trail is 22 miles long and also includes a portion on the Atlantic
Intracoastal Waterway and neighboring Tyrrell County. The Lake
Mattamuskeet trail is just over 10 miles and is entirely on Mattamuskeet
NWR. Bordering Beaufort County in the western end of the county is the
Pungo River trail, an eleven mile paddle through black-water marshes and
past cypress swamps.
 A
Traveler’s Guide to Art and
Music On Ocracoke - The
Ocracoke community nurtures and inspires creativity with a host of artists
and musicians. Explore the village and you will find studios, galleries,
and shops that feature the original works of our artists. Visit Deepwater
Theater and listen to the music of the OcraFolk Opry, Molasses Creek,
Coyote, and others. Plan your weekend around the OcraFolk Festival in June
and the ArtWalk in September and enjoy our special cultural events.
For more information visit
www.art-on-ocracoke.com .
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