48 hours in Martin County
Martin County sits at one of North Carolina’s great crossroads. The community is tucked into NC’s Inner Banks, 80 miles from the barrier islands of the Outer Banks and 90 miles from Raleigh, the state capital. Head west for a bustling city or east for salt and sand, but stay right here and you’ll find a coastal plain that’s full of sprawling equestrian farms, lonely country roads and small towns oozing Southern charm. You’ll also find easy to access adventure, thanks largely to the Roanoke River, which defines the landscape and provides visitors and locals alike plenty of public space to explore. A weekend in Martin County is packed with mellow activities like paddling between bald cypress knees, sipping mugs of sweet tea in Southern diners and wildlife spotting in quiet forests.
Leigh Kessel
meet the local
Leigh Kessel is the marketing coordinator for Explore Martin County, but when she’s not helping visitors make the most of their time in her home community, she’s exploring the outdoors herself. Kessel is an avid kayaker who spends as much of her free time as she can in the public spaces throughout Martin County. She says she can get outside on a whim thanks to the Roanoke River State Trail, which provides quick access to the outdoors throughout the area.
“The Roanoke River State Trail is such a great resource,” Kessel says. “It allows me to paddle, hike, camp, fish, forage and cook outdoors in a unique river setting tucked away in the Inner Banks of the NC coastal plain.”
And stewardship is always on the agenda when Kessel explores her backyard, whether she’s paddling the Roanoke or foraging for mushrooms. “When I take the time to unwind outdoors, I make sure to practice Outdoor NC Leave No Trace principles, keeping my campsite free of trash, and never foraging from the wetlands beyond what is allowed.”
Leigh Kessel: 48 hours of Adventure and Stewardship in Martin County
day one
Morning Adventure
The 136-mile Roanoke River State Trail forms the border of Martin County as it makes its way to the Pamlico Sound, creating a ribbon of parks, access points and camping platforms throughout the community. Get a taste for what’s possible on the Roanoke by spending the morning at the River Landing Platform, just a mile from downtown Williamston. There’s a raised camping platform there for overnight paddlers, but also a boardwalk along the river and multiple fishing perches. Bring a rod and cast for striped bass.
If you’re fishing, remember to Trash Your Trash, especially your discarded fishing line. Keeping that used line out of the river will help preserve the local wildlife, like otter and beaver.
Lunch
Since you’re in downtown Williamston, grab lunch at The Tea Room on Main, which serves a traditional afternoon tea as well as a full lunch in a Victorian-style tea room. It’s famous for its chicken salad sandwich. I also like to stop in the Martin County Arts Council to browse their gift shop and current art exhibitions, all of which are housed in a historic brick building in downtown.
Afternoon adventure
There’s no need to leave Williamston yet. After lunch, head just north from downtown to the Conine Island Tract of the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge, where you can hike the Kuralt Walking Trail, a 1.3-mile out and back through a bottomland hardwood forest. Bring a pair of binoculars; the Roanoke River is a hotbed of birding, with visitors spotting more than 200 avian species inside the refuge. If you’re visiting in the spring, keep an eye out for one of the 50 species of neotropical migrants, like the cerulean warbler, that have been spotted during their journey north.
It’s not just birds that call this forest home. The Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge is home to thriving populations of black bear, white tail deer, fox, bobcat and several other spectacular species of mammals. Keep Wildlife Wild by maintaining a safe distance from any creatures you spot. Follow the “rule of thumb,” which means if you can cover the entire animal with your thumb when your hand is stretched out in front of you, you’re at a safe distance.
dinner
Keep it simple and casual with dinner at The Chicken Kitchen, which is an institution in Williamston and known throughout the region for its fried chicken. If you’re thirsty, grab a brew at the Hook Hand Brewery, which also shows local art and has the occasional comedy show.
spend the night
I like to camp on the platforms along the Roanoke River (see below), but if you want something more civilized, get a room at the Big Mill Bed and Breakfast, a farmstead lodge on acres of farmland with old growth pecan trees, tobacco fields and blueberry patches.
day two
morning adventure
First thing in the morning, head into Jamestown to pick up local snacks and goodies at Mackey’s Ferry Peanuts and Gifts. Then you’re off to the river. Bring a canoe or standup paddle board and explore a short portion of the Roanoke River and one of its feeder creeks, paddling the calm tea-colored water below and the quiet forests surrounding you. There are multiple access points throughout the county, but put in at the Astoria Road Access, and you can paddle upstream on the Devils Gut, a slow-moving creek with a series of overnight platforms set inside a scenic swamp. The creek is tight and fulled with cypress trees. When you paddle, keep an eye out for black bear; the Roanoke River hosts the state’s highest concentration of the animal.
Seeing a bear from the helm of a canoe makes it easy to stay a safe distance from the creatures, ensuring that you don’t stress the bears and Keep Wildlife Wild.
lunch break
From the Astoria Road Access, you’re only a mile from downtown Jamesville, which has a cute seafood restaurant along the Roanoke that is open seasonally called Rivers Edge Restaurant. They have a big menu, but this place is all about the fresh herring, which make their way upstream on the Roanoke to spawn every spring. It doesn’t get more local than that.
afternoon adventure
Martin County has a rich equestrian tradition and culture that can still be seen in the area’s many scenic horse farms. You can enjoy a slice of the horse life on the Kehukee Equine Trail, which forms a mile loop through a shady pine forest near Martin County Community College. You don’t need your own horse to enjoy this path; hikers are welcome too.
bonus adventure
If you really want to dig deep into what Martin County has to offer, you need to paddle a multi-day route on the Roanoke River State Trail. Camping platforms scattered along the entire route give you multiple options, and the trail’s proximity to towns like Williamston and Jamesville make access easy, while giving you a chance to pull off the river for a good meal. The lower Roanoke in Martin County has been dubbed “the Amazon of North Carolina,” because the forest is so lush and packed with wildlife. The water moves slow, and the camping platforms are perched above the river away from any development, so all you’ll hear are the sounds of the forest at night.
Check out Roanoke River Partners to learn about the different sections of the river you can paddle, and be sure to reserve your platform in advance, which will help you follow one of the key Outdoor NC Leave No Trace principles, Plan Ahead and Prepare. Pack plenty of water, food, and all of the gear you’ll need for an overnight in the wild.
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