Explore the Great Outdoors!

Croatan National Forest

“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir

According to the weather forecast, the temperatures should be in the 50’s – 60’s this weekend in New Bern!

There are so many terrific ways to get back to nature in New Bern and surrounding areas.

If you love nature, but prefer staying out of the woods, consider strolling the Downtown Riverwalk that hugs the Neuse and Trent River. The paved trail starts at Walt Bellamy Drive and continues to Council Bluff Green on East Front Street. During your walk, think about the Tuscarora Tribe. Did you know? “In 1710, on a bluff known today as Council Bluff Green, in a formal ceremony, the King of the Tuscaroran’s transferred the land between our two Rivers to Baron de Graffenried for the settlement of Swiss and German colonists.” – Susan Moffat-Thomas

Enjoy the great parks maintained by the City of New Bern Parks and Recreation and Craven County Recreation and Parks! A lot of the parks have grills, picnic tables, and benches where you can take in beautiful views and watch birds and other wildlife!

Fishing is plentiful! Some of the water is brackish so you can catch both saltwater and freshwater fish, but you may need both licenses, so check the fishing regulations.

Prefer paddling? There are plenty of places to launch your boats and small watercraft!

Check out the New Bern Civil War Battlefield Park as it’s not just about history! The New Bern Historical Society maintains the park and trails and it’s a great place to walk and observe nature.

Prefer to get off the beaten path? I highly recommend venturing into what I consider the hidden gem of Eastern NC, The Croatan National Forest is a Nature Lover’s Paradise and it’s in our backyard!

How to navigate? Driving in from one of numerous access points, you’ll notice brown and white gates. If the gates are closed, you can still enter on foot. White gates lead to food plots and are your best chances to see wildlife like black bear, deer, wild turkey, quail, coyotes, bald eagles, beaver, bobcats, porcupine, alligator, and so many other species.

Discover carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap, pitcher plant, sundew, butterwort, bladderwort along with other exotic plants. The Croatan spans approximately 160,000 acres.

Learn more by visiting the Ranger’s Station on Hwy 70 East. If you’re not familiar with the area, here’s a map.

Please let me know if you have any questions by calling 252-259-6853 or sending an email.

Wendy Card