When I first moved from the mountains to the coast I was terribly depressed for the change in landscape. I longed for the hills and deciduous forests. The cool evening air and fireflies. I missed whitewater, rocks, and steep downhill bike rides. Until I discovered surfing and kite surfing my soul was suffering.
I used to backpack regularly and sleep under the stars. I would spend a lot of time outdoors with my bare feet in the leaf litter. I learned quickly here that the prickly pear cactus are every where, and there are small thorny plants along the edges of every trail. My bare feet started slipping into shoes more and more. Again, it was soul crushing.
In terms of camping there aren't many trails for hiking or sites for camping here in eastern North Carolina, not to mention that the mosquitoes here are insane. I used to use only natural citronella oils as a repellent when I lived in the eastern mountains, but the coastal mosquitoes are savages. I distinctly remember one visit to this Okracoke island. I took a short walk away from the car and quickly found myself surrounded. The day was beautiful and I wanted so badly to be outside. I refused run away and take shelter in the car. Soon enough, the profound numbers of the mosquitoes attacking me made me go a little bit insane. I sat on the ground and began desperately covering myself with sand to keep the mosquitoes off of my skin. After that day I decidedly wear mosquito repellent with DEET.
In fact, I will spray deet directly into my eyeballs if it means keeping the mosquitoes away. haha.
There is an amazing hiking trail close to wear I live that gives me a little taste of the feeling of being back home in the hills. It's called the Neusiok trail. Named after the Neusiok Native Americans who lived on the shores of the Neuse River.
The Neusiok Trail winds more than 20 miles from a sandy beach on the shore of the river to a salt marsh to the south along the shores of the Newport River. In between, the trail crosses cypress swamps, hardwood ridges, and longleaf-pine forests. It is part of the 900-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail that begins in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and ends in Jockey Ridge State Park in Nags Head North Carolina. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is blazed with white circles.
This trail is amazing. There are tall cliffs along the shore of the Neuse River which is great for swimming and wonderful if you are walking with your dog. Some sections are quite sandy, but it is still suitable for mountain biking and there are even some challenging and fun steep sections that give you a feeling that you aren't in the flat lands.
Along the 20 mile stretch you can camp anywhere you would like since it is National Forest property. But there are also shelters along the trail as well. Each of the three-sided shelters has a fire grill and can sleep about 5 people.
Be aware that during hunting season (October- December) you should wear bright colors and keep your dog on a leash.