Jockey’s Ridge Expands Educational Opportunities

Jockey’s Ridge State Park staff are now providing outdoor educational opportunities to the public!  Due to COVID-19 concerns, we have redesigned our programs.  We are continuing to provide high quality educational experiences for our visitors with a little more distance to promote health and safety.

Kayak the Roanoke Sound 
We are excited to get our visitors back on the water. Superintendent Joy Greenwood and I recently lead a morning kayak program on the Roanoke Sound, first one since last season!  We had a great group, which included folks from NC, SC, VA, and GA.  Mixing fun in the sun with education is an awesome combination.  Several of the participants had very limited experience on the water.  Within minutes they were comfortable in the boats. Our Soundside access  area is perfect for paddling, wading, swimming, and sunbathing.  Plus, we now have a new boardwalk, linking the parking area to the beach.

Table Talks
Our seasonal Assistant Park Rangers have been active since arriving, working on numerous resource management projects, developing new educational programs, and assisting with daily operations. Throughout the summer they will be providing table talk discussions and exhibits ranging from prescribed fire awareness to critters of the park.  Table talks will help increase our engagement with the public and further enhance park visitors’ experiences.

Social Media Projects
The pandemic has directed us to tap into technology and social media as a way to promote the park.  We recently completed our highly successful 50 days of Earth Day Virtual celebration #EarthFairOBX.  We are working on new virtual projects, such as a short documentary on our most recent prescribed burn in partnership with North Carolina Forestry and Rangers from Merchants Millpond.  The video will be developed further and used for school and public presentations. Expanding our virtual projects helps to reach a larger audience in support of our mission to educate visitors and to promote and preserve our public lands.

A Few Park Tips

  • Many of our programs have a maximum of 25 participants, but some may be limited to smaller  numbers and may require preregistration.  Please visit https://www.ncparks.gov/jockeys-ridge-state-park/events-and-programs to view upcoming activities.
  • While visiting the park, please continue to stay hydrated and protect yourself from the sun.  We want our visitors to remain safe and have an enjoyable time.
  • The three Ws are recommended (Wear a mask, Wait six feet apart, Wash your hands) at all programs and throughout the park.
  • Sunset viewing from the ridge is always a “must do” for locals and visitors.  Our parking area is now beginning to reach full capacity, especially during sunset viewing.
  • The Soundside access parking area gate closes at 7:00 p.m. and the park’s main gate closes at 9:00 p.m. this time of the year.
  • Visitor information is available outside the visitor center from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The information booth will be set up at the front doors or on our back deck depending on the weather.

–Austin Paul, Park Ranger, Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Photo: Ranger Austin Paul, Jockey’s Ridge State Park