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The Onslow Bight and Jacksonville: Holly Shelter Game Land to Stella on the White Oak River.


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Map Key

94.1

Miles

151.4

KM

100%

Runnable

70' 21 m

High

0' 0 m

Low

576' 176 m

Up

606' 185 m

Down

0%

Avg Grade (0°)

3%

Max Grade (2°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Section Of

Description

Segment 15 of North Carolina's 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail takes MST travelers through the Onslow Bight, formed where the coast makes a shallow bend or "bight" between Cape Lookout and Cape Fear. With its barrier islands, marshes, riverine wetlands, pocosins, and longleaf pine savannas, the Onslow Bight is considered one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the United States.

These natural communities provide habitat for rare plants and animals, including several species that are found nowhere else in the world. The pocosins and longleaf pine forests are critical habitat for nesting and foraging red-cockaded woodpeckers, while the delicate barrier islands are essential habitat for sea turtle and water bird nesting. The area is one of the primary conservation priorities for many government and nonprofit agencies.

Highlights include:

  • Holly Shelter Game Land, where runners will see vast expanses of pocosin recovering from a major peat fire in 2011, as well as savannas of lush grasses and native plants flourishing under towering longleaf pines.
  • The Onslow County Environmental Education Center's "Discover Onslow" exhibit, a great way to learn about the ecology, flora, and fauna of the Onslow Bight
  • Stones Creek Game Land, nestled in Camp Lejeune, which provides a scenic walk past lakes and pine woods
  • The Lejeune Memorial Gardens, with moving tributes to our nation's servicemen and women
  • Crossing the White Oak River to enter the little community of Stella on the outskirts of the Croatan National Forest


The trails through Holly Shelter and Stones Creek Game Lands are marked with the MST blaze, a 3-inch white circular marker. There are also signs at certain places in Stones Creek Game Land.

Road portions of this segment are marked with blazes and signs. Blazes are on the left shoulder of the road in the direction of travel, and signs are on the right side. Note that signs are often a target of theft and vandalism, and should not be relied upon exclusively for wayfinding.

For more information, including camping, lodging, parking, shuttles, and resupply information, as well as detailed, turn-by-turn directions, download a trail guide from the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

Flora & Fauna

Deer, bear, turkey, fox, rabbit, raccoon and squirrel are prominent as are quail, dove and waterfowl. pine savannah, venus fly trap, maritime forest, fiddler crap, sandpiper, osprey, sea turtle, dolphin, pelican

Shared By:

Jim Grode

Trail Ratings

  3.5 from 4 votes

#24301

Overall
  3.5 from 4 votes
5 Star
25%
4 Star
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3 Star
75%
2 Star
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1 Star
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Trail Rankings

#969

in North Carolina

#24,301

Overall
12 Views Last Month
3,739 Since Apr 5, 2016
Intermediate Intermediate

25%
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75%
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Photos

The  bridge over the marsh in Surf City and the walking bridge from Soundside parke in Surf City, NC.
Apr 25, 2017 near Surf City, NC
Looking north in Surf City, NC at the old pilings from the lost Barnacle Bills Pier.
Apr 25, 2017 near Surf City, NC
A glorious sunrise on Topsail Island, MST Segment 15B. Photo by PJ Wetzel, www.pjwetzel.com.
Apr 11, 2016 near Surf City, NC
Taken near the Surf City, NC Welcome Center along the trail. Surf City fishing pier in the distance.
Apr 25, 2017 near Surf City, NC
Stop in for local information and restrooms at the Surf City Welcome Center.
Apr 26, 2017 near Surf City, NC
You just might see pelicans over the ocean in Surf City.
Apr 26, 2017 near Surf City, NC

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