Waterfall Hero Hikes: Fort Macon State Park

Fort Macon is a 424-acre North Carolina State Park on the eastern end of Bogue Banks just past Atlantic Beach in Carteret County. Fort Macon was part of the Third System of US Fortifications, replacing Fort Hampton. It was built to enhance the United States coastal defenses and was named for Nathaniel Macon, a US Senator from North Carolina. Construction began in 1826 and took 8 years. Confederates seized the fort near the start of the Civil War and was taken back by Union forces in 1862. After the war, the fort served as a federal prison for a few years and was closed in 1903. North Carolina purchased the fort for $1 in 1924 for a public park and fort restoration and construction of amenities was performed by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1934 to 1935. Today, the park offers visitors a chance to see the restored fort as well as hiking trails and beach access.

Contact Information:

2303 East Fort Macon Road
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512

Phone: 252-726-3775
Email: fort.macon@ncparks.gov
GPS: 34.69795,-76.67834

Directions:

From US-70 in Morehead City, take the Atlantic Beach Bridge to Atlantic Beach and turn left on NC-58/Fort Macon Road. Drive 3.6 miles to the end of the road at Fort Macon.

Map:

Trails:

Elliott Coues Nature Trail:

Length: 3.2 miles

Blaze: Yellow Circles

Difficulty: Moderate

Elliott Coues Nature Trail connects the fort and visitor center with the beach access, making a loop. The northern end of the loop runs through maritime forest along the marsh while the southern part of the loop goes through the dunes, providing a great way to see the diverse ecosystems in the park.

Yarrow's Loop:

Length: 0.25 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Yarrow's Loop is a quarter-mile loop starting from the north end of the fort parking area.

Beach:

The park has about 1.5 miles of beach on the far eastern tip of Bogue Banks. There is a large parking area on the right upon entering the park for beach access. There is a bathhouse here and seasonal concessions and lifeguards.