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Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve Maritime Forest
Buxton Woods, Off Of North Carolina Highway 12, Just West Of Buxton Village
Buxton, NC | Phone:252-261-8891 | Fax: 252-261-8892
www.ncnerr.org | michele.droszcz@ncmail.net
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Buxton Woods is a nature lovers paradise where you will find great hiking, and beautiful undisturbed wildlife. The 968-acre Buxton Woods component is located on Hatteras Island; one of the barrier islands that form the Outer Banks. The site is bounded on the south by the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and on the north by N. C. 12. The site is housed within the largest tract of maritime forest left standing on the Carolina coast; this area of pine and oak-covered dune ridges is interspersed with maritime swamp forest and unique marshy wetlands. The seaward edge of the forest is a shrub thicket community dominated by live oak and red cedar. Further inland, the forest consists of a series of dune ridges that are stabilized by a maritime evergreen forest. Between the ridges, broad depressions support seasonally to permanently flooded freshwater marshes, called “sedges”. Cattails, sawgrass, wild rice and spike rushes are common plants in these ponds. Non-woody plants that are able to tolerate the saturated soils include royal fern, cinnamon fern, lizard’s tail and water dock. Sea ox-eye and salt meadow cordgrass grow in the areas furthest from the salt water. Buxton Woods serves as an important resting place for migratory birds in the fall. More than 360 species, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons, have been recorded. Common mammals are gray fox, mink, river otter and white-tailed deer. Reptiles and amphibians include eastern box turtles, green anoles, and southern dusky salamanders. Two rare butterflies (northern hairstreak and giant swallowtail) and a moth (messalina underwind) are also found in the area. Visiting the site From the north, Hatteras Island may be accessed by N.C. 12, which connects with U. S. 64 near Manteo (60 miles to the north). Visitors may also take the public ferry from either Cedar Island in Carteret County or Swan Quarter in Hyde County to Ocracoke Island. From Ocracoke, the Hatteras Inlet ferry serves as a link to N.C. 12 on Hatteras Island. The ferry terminal is located 8 miles southwest of the reserve. The reserve can be reached via Old Doctor’s Road, Flowers Ridge Road, or Water Association Road, which all run into the forest from N. C. 12. These entrances are just west of Buxton Village. Various walking trails also link the state property with the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
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Operation & Hours:
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Open All Year, Sunrise To Sunset, Open 7 Days
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Payment Options & Additional Services:
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Public Phone
(No)
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Considerations for the Handicapped:
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Handicapped Accessible Facility
(No)
, Handicap Accessible Restrooms
(No)
, Seeing Eye Dogs Allowed
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Restroom Facilities:
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No Public Facilities
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Parking Information:
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Lighted
(No)
, Parking Spaces
(5 Or Fewer)
, Handicap Parking Available
(No)
, Free Parking Available, Unpaved Parking, Sunrise To Sunset, No Overnight Parking
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Security & Safety:
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Police Patrol
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About Our Website:
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Down-Loadable Forms, Employment Information, Email Address Available, Information Request Available, Website With Photo Gallery, No Registration Required
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Usage Policies:
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Public Access, Admission Fee
(No), Alcohol Permitted
(Yes), Glass Permitted
(No), Fires Prohibited
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Pet Information:
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Leash Required All Year
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Outdoor Recreation Facilities:
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Nature Trail
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Site Map | Contact Us
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copyright © 2009 TheCoastalExplorer.com
Sound Publishing does not assume any legal
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