Neusiok Trail

Neusiok Trail is an easy, long-distance hiking route in the Croatan National Forest that runs from Pine Cliff Recreation Area on the Neuse River to Oyster Point Campground on the Newport River.

The trail crosses a mix of coastal habitats, moving through cypress swamps, hardwood ridges, longleaf-pine savannah and boggy pocosin areas, with sections on sand and through wetter ground where water can be encountered.

It’s part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail network, and the Neusiok Trail is commonly treated as the eastern star attraction of that Croatan segment.

The route is officially supported by a set of primitive shelters that split the walk into quarters; they are free to use and positioned along the corridor rather than at road-access points only.

A practical way to run this hike is as a true point-to-point day hike or as a backpacking weekend; one continuous effort is typically several hours, while multi-day plans are straightforward with the shelter placements.

Expect a low-tech navigation setup: trail markings are in-place, and the corridor crosses multiple road crossings, so you can shorten the hike by turning around at access points if you don’t want the full length.

More information: Wikipedia, Visitor information, Segment 16