Croatan National Forest

The Cedar Point Tideland Trail offers a good view of an estuary.

A flower blooms in the Croatan National Forest.

The Croatan National Forest covers 159,886 acres between Morehead City and New Bern in coastal North Carolina.

Attractions include White Oak River, a slow-moving, meandering river that is home to shorebirds, osprey, cypress trees and an occasional alligator.

The Cedar Point Tideland Trail, a national recreation trail, meanders through hardwood and pine forests. The trail crosses a tidal marsh area on a boardwalk and offers an opportunity to view the ecology of an undisturbed estuary.

The Patsy Pond Natural Heritage Area offers several trails that cross sand ridges, sand flats and streams. The trails leading to Patsy Pond are open to foot traffic only.