Dunes · North Carolina

Jockey’s Ridge

The tallest active sand dune on the East Coast

TypeDunes
StateNorth Carolina
Best seasonSpring & fall (summer sand gets blazing hot)
How to visitFree state park (hang-gliding lessons available)

A living mountain of sand on the Outer Banks — the tallest active dune system in the eastern U.S., shifting with the wind and catching the sea breeze that makes it a hang-gliding mecca. Climb it at sunset for water on both sides.

The shot

Sunset from the dune crest, sound on one side, sea on the other.

Nearby & worth pairing

  • Nags Head
  • Wright Brothers Memorial
  • Outer Banks beaches
  • Roanoke Island

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