Killer Dunes 2025

2025 Killer Dunes 2-Mile Run

July 4, 2025, 8 a.m.

Outer Banks Sporting Events invites you to run/walk/overcome two miles on Jockey’s Ridge, the tallest natural sand dune system in the eastern US!

Color Fun Run to Celebrate 50 Years of JRSP

July 4, 2025, 8:15 a.m.

Join us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of our beloved Jockey’s Ridge State Park! We’re hosting a special event this year alongside the Killer Dunes 2-miler — a 1-mile COLOR Fun Run!

Register Now

Save the Date and Join Us for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Jockey’s Ridge State Park

June 5, 6, 7, 8 2025

Join Us For a Four Day Celebration Including Live Entertainment, Educational and Recreational Programs, Tournaments, Homecoming Events, Sunset Toast, and much more! Free Programs for all to enjoy! A full itinerary and further details will be announced soon! Follow Friends of Jockey’s Ridge Facebook page for announcements.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING SOON! STAY TUNED! Make your plans now to celebrate with us!

Interested in partnering with us and adding your organization to our list of fantastic sponsors? Contact info@friendsofjockeysridge.org for more information!

An art exhibition spotlighting the connection between art and nature. This unique event – the first ever at the park — will be located inside the Jockey’s Ridge State Park’s Visitor Center and will showcase artwork inspired by the park’s landscapes, wildlife, and its cultural significance on the Outer Banks.

All art will be for sale and a portion of the proceeds benefit Friends of Jockey’s Ridge. With this exhibition, the Friends of Jockey’s Ridge aims to deepen appreciation for Jockey’s Ridge and its vital role in preserving the natural heritage of the region through art and community participation.

The show will be open April 17th in the Community Room at the Jockey’s Ridge State Park Visitor Center and run through Mother’s Day, May 11th. Please come out and enjoy the artwork and the park!

Suggested Email for Comments Period Ending Nov 4^th

Email: DCMcomments@deq.nc.gov

Subject Line: Jockey’s Ridge

To: NC Division of Coastal Management

I support the proposed CRC rule (15A NCAC 07H .0508) to re-designate Jockey’s Ridge as an Area of Environmental Concern (AEC) and to protect Jockey’s Ridge from development and loss of sand.

Support Jockey’s Ridge! Please attend this upcoming hearing on Tuesday, October 15th at 1pm at the Visitors Center and send in your public comments to the NC Division of Coastal Management at DCMcomments@deq.nc.gov by November 4, 2024.

Review previous Friends of Jockey’s Ridge public comments on the AEC.

11a.m. Friends of Jockey’s Ridge Open Board Meeting & Membership Event with the Dueling Dinosaurs & Tubbs Hot Dogs & Snow Cones

12:30 Sandcastle Contest Registration (see attached rules – all are invited!)

1:00 Sandcastle Contest; or

1:00 Dune Hike with Jockey’s Ridge Park Ranger

Sandcastle Contest at Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Rules, Registration, & Tips

Date/Time: September 14th Registration 12:30pm Contest 1:00-2:00pm Judging/Awards 2:00pm

Registration: In-person registration will take place on Dune Days at 12:30pm at the end of the boardwalk at Jockey’s Ridge State Park; or register in advance by sending an email with your name and team members names (if applicable) to info@friendsofjockeysridge.org. No fee to participate. You can register as an individual or as a team. Come early and enjoy a Tubbs hot dog lunch and snow cone!

Prizes:

1^st Place – Jockey’s Ridge t-shirts for each team member, 1 Jockey’s Ridge Christmas ornament, 1 Save our Sand Dunes Book and your creation posted on Friends of Jockey’s Ridge social media

2^nd Place – 1 Jockey’s Ridge t-shirt, 1 Christmas ornament and your creation posted on Friends of Jockey’s Ridge social media

3^rd Place – 1 Jockey’s Ridge t-shirt and your creation posted on Friends of Jockey’s Ridge social media

Rules:

This contest is for everyone! This is a family-friendly, kid-friendly, adult-friendly event and you do not need to be an expert! You will receive a flag marker with a number to represent your location for sculpting your masterpiece when you arrive and register. The contest will take place at the end of the boardwalk at Jockey’s Ridge State Park near the dunes.

Please bring your own equipment (buckets, shovels, etc), no artificial decorations allowed, no power tools allowed – hand tools only, water sprayers allowed, no additives of any kind can be used (flour, glue, etc), items to form shapes such as buckets, pots can be used to build your sculpture but should be removed prior to judging. No Theme! While we are using the word sandcastle contest, you are not required to build a castle, you can create anything of your choice! You get to pick your theme!

We will provide a location for you to have access to water to assist with sculpting. Have a bucket available to collect the water and bring back to your station. Plan ahead and lets’ have some sandcastle fun! We can’t wait to see your creations!

Celebrate Independence Day by supporting an OBX treasure! Outer Banks Sporting Events invites you to run/walk/overcome 2 miles on Jockey’s Ridge, the tallest natural sand dune system in the eastern US! Attracting runners looking for a “unique” challenge (and drawing a very competitive field), we also welcome people to walk the course (not just a “walk in the park” though)! Proceeds benefit Friends of Jockey’s Ridge, a local non-profit dedicated to supporting, preserving and enhancing Jockey’s Ridge State Park.

Register at www.obxse.com. Sponsorship opportunities available at: friendsofjockeysridge.org/kdsponsors

“What an awesome time! I’ve been wanting to run this ridiculous race since I heard about it. I had no idea what to expect, but it was an absolute blast and supporting such a gem of a park was an easy extra bonus! There were some competitive runners mixed in with a bunch of people out there just having fun kicking off their July 4th celebration! I convinced my brother to run it with me and he doesn’t even do that sort of thing, but he’ll be back for sure. He literally brought the kids (3&5yrs) out there the next day joking about training for the family fun event. Heck they may not even finish but it’s not really the point (it isn’t super difficult/just a lot slower than your average trot!) – They’ll have a sweet race medal/awesome memories/guaranteed hilarity! We’ll see y’all again in July!” ~ Ryan Hudgins

Help Jockey’s Ridge! Join the Friends of Jockey’s Ridge to help support, protect and preserve the dunes and to keep up to date on park events. North Carolina residents can even sign up for a Jockey’s Ridge License plate here: https://friendsofjockeysridge.org/licenseplate/

In response to the October 15, 2024 public hearing held at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, the Friends of Jockey’s Ridge Chairman of the Board, Craig Honeycutt, submitted comments in support of the proposed Coastal Resources Commission rule to re-designate Jockey’s Ridge as an Area of Environmental Concern (AEC).

On April 25, 2024, we attended the NC Coastal Resources Commission with these comments: Friends of Jockey’s Ridge letter to the CRC 4/25/24

On April 4, 2024, ahead of the April 8th meeting of the Rules Review Commission, Friends of Jockey’s Ridge submitted comments to the Rules Review Commission again expressing strong support for the temporary rules adopted by the Coastal Resources Commission, including the AEC designation.

On January 22, 2024, Friends of Jockey’s Ridge submitted comments to the Coastal Resource Commission urging the commissioners to readopt the AEC status for Jockey’s Ridge.

To learn more about the Area of Environmental Concern and the recent process to remove this status from Jockey’s Ridge, please visit the Coastal Review Article.

Review 15A NCAC 07H .0507 designating Jockey’s Ridge a unique coastal geologic formation.

Be sure to stop by the Friends of Jockey’s Ridge table for a craft project for the kids!

Join Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Friends of Jockey’s Ridge, and other local partners in celebrating all those in the community that helped preserve and continue to help preserve and protect this wonderful natural resource. It has been 50 years since the day the bulldozer was stopped at the back of the ridge by Carolista Baum! We will also be celebrating her birthday.

Dune Day will include live music with Mojo Collins & Craig Honeycutt! Enjoy hotdogs, shaved ice, a beer tent (bring ID!) and a sunset walk up Jockey’s Ridge at 7 pm. Many thanks to Outer Banks Brewing Station and Tortugas (Boardwalk Sponsor) for keg donations!

This free, family-friendly event is at Jockey’s Ridge State Park Visitor Center, 300 W Carolista Dr, Nags Head, NC 27959 (Milepost 12; Highway 158).

Looking forward to seeing you Tues, August 15th from 4 – 7:30 pm… The Friends Board