Visit The Outer Banks

Biking and Bike Paths Across the Outer Banks

The Outer Banks offers 105 miles for cyclists to explore, with routes that bring riders close to the ocean, beaches, and surf.

Across the route from Duck to Ocracoke, salt marsh scenery shifts into clean stretches of beach, creating the kind of calm many visitors come here to find. Bike paths and broad paved shoulders make room for casual riders, experienced cyclists, and families alike. The terrain is nearly all flat, aside from a few bridge crossings, and breezes are common no matter which way you ride.

Across Dare County, riders will see yellow "Bicycles - Share the Road" signs along US 158, US-64 and 264, and NC 12. The area also includes official NCDOT-marked bicycle routes. On the mainland, cyclists can travel through miles of farming landscapes and wildlife preserves on primary and secondary roads where traffic is generally light.

For relaxed family rides, including outings with children, many towns and villages provide multi-use paths suited to slower touring or an easy afternoon ride. These paved routes often run apart from traffic, following the highways or winding through wooded areas. Some also link communities together so riders can move from town to town without entering heavier vehicle traffic.

More advanced riders and those traveling faster will find wide paved shoulders that help separate bicycles from motor vehicles. Cyclists moving at higher speeds should be careful on multi-purpose paths because walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, and children on bikes may also be using them. When pedestrian use is heavier than roadway traffic, riding on the road shoulder may be the better option. Keep to the right rather than riding on the left. Summer can be a difficult season for on-highway cycling because tourist traffic is heavy, so caution is encouraged at all times.

The page also points visitors toward safety information and the local OBX Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Coalition.

Bike Paths Around the Outer Banks

Bike path information is available for riding throughout the Outer Banks.

Bike Rentals & Repairs

The directory includes 13 listings, with regional filters shown for:

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