[How To Guide] Sandboarding at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head

Jockey’s Ridge State Park is one of the places that should be on your destination list in the Eastern United States. The park provides a perfect atmosphere for fun activities such as dune hang gliding, kite flying, climbing, and sandboarding.

It is one of the many places that actually relieve any kind of stress you may have. If you are not daring enough to go sandboarding or hang gliding, the park has a museum and an auditorium you can visit.

Sandboarding is a one of a kind activity that resembles snowboarding only that it takes place on the sand dunes instead of the slopes. There is not much that is required, only a board and a permit! The permit can be acquired from the park offices. If you have a snowboard or a skateboard deck, you’ll have a blast.

For those who do not have boards, you can rent one from the Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School which is located at 302 Carolina Drive in Nags Head. In addition to sandboard rentals, the school also offers visitors hang gliding lessons for beginner to advanced flyers – ages 4 to 94!

Sandboard rental charges are $20 for 4 hours and $40 for the entire day. Although a permit is not required for people who rent at the school, you are required to sign a waiver.

The first rule of sandboarding is to find the perfect spot, in this case, the Jockey’s Ridge State Park! The park is the tallest natural sand dunes system on the East Coast, therefore, ideal for sandboarding.

The trip up the dune requires endurance from the scorching sun but the trip down is totally worth it. While at the top, you can take pictures before sandboarding since the sand dune provides a spectacular view of the surrounding area.

Another important tip that one ought to put into consideration is that you should carry a lot of water to stay well hydrated.

Although Jockey’s Ridge State Park is not as hot as a desert, the temperatures are hot enough to cause dehydration. Sandboarding under these conditions requires that you drink a lot of water.

It is also recommended that one wears shoes or sandals while climbing the dunes since the sand temperatures are high. Carry sun protection to ensure that you retain a smooth and healthy skin as you sandboard at the park.

Sandboarding is a sport for everyone including the kids. The activity is allowed from October through the end of March for safety purposes.

The above information is all you need to know if you plan your sandboarding adventure – OBX style – at the Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Adhere to the safety precautions listed above so as to enjoy and have a great, memorable time!