Need Overlanding gateway experience for the family (East Coast)

[silentight]

Hi folks,

Having traveled a little bit on my own due to military service, I am finally hoping to get the family more interested in the joys of the outdoors. I am looking to plan a trip in early August for my family of 6. Between a camper trailer and a RTT, I think I have sleeping/food covered.

I don't really have a route in mind yet and was hoping to get some recommendations for a destination/route with the following considerations in mind:

1. More primitive type of sites/scenic
2. About a 10 day total trip max (leaving from VA Beach)
3. Some water/lake type of activity options would be nice

Thanks in advance!
Mark

 

[huachuca]

Primitive beach camping??? Cape Lookout National Seashore is just south of you. I wouldn’t advise taking the camper but the RTT will be fine IF you have 4WD and tenting is allowed almost anywhere between the high tide line and the dunes. Both Portsmouth Island and South Core Banks offer twenty miles of open beach, no roads and no permanent inhabitants.

Al

 

[silentight]

Primitive beach camping??? Cape Lookout National Seashore is just south of you. I wouldn’t advise taking the camper but the RTT will be fine IF you have 4WD and tenting is allowed almost anywhere between the high tide line and the dunes. Both Portsmouth Island and South Core Banks offer twenty miles of open beach, no roads and no permanent inhabitants.

Al

Al, Thanks for your reply. It's funny that you mention Cape Lookout National Seashore, I was just looking at their site earlier today. I don't have a RTT set up on my wrangler and don't plan to get a heavy duty rack for it. You think it will be too risky taking the trailer, though it has pretty aggressive off road tires and 16" of clearance? M

 

[justjames]

I think the risk will be in towing the trailer through deep, loose powder fine sand.

 

[huachuca]

Hi Mark,

What kind of camper do you have? I’ve seen popups there before but I wouldn’t take a traditional hard side. Vehicle access to either section of Cape Lookout is by private ferry only so you might want to check with the concessionaires who provide these services to see what’s acceptable. Their contact info is on the CALO Park Service website. The Wrangler would do fine, I’ve had mine on both sections several times over the years.

Portsmouth Island was slammed by storms last year and still hasn’t completely recovered; its uncertain if the bath house will be reopened and there’s no potable water at this time. South Core has faired better and everything including the cabins will be available. I prefer PI but either section has the best ocean front dispersed camping on the east coast.

Al

 

[silentight]

Thanks for all you replies. I'll be pulling a Escapade Backcountry trailer. I may have to test out the set up with just the wife and rack out inside the Jeep with the seats down.

Al, where is PI? It's not Paris Island is it? hahaha...all acronyms point to the military for me.

 

[huachuca]

Thanks for all you replies. I'll be pulling a Escapade Backcountry trailer. I may have to test out the set up with just the wife and rack out inside the Jeep with the seats down.

Al, where is PI? It's not Paris Island is it? hahaha...all acronyms point to the military for me.

My apologies Mark.......PI = Portsmouth Island....CALO = Cape Lookout. A two year all expense paid world tour from Uncle Sam will do that to ya - even if its been fifty years.

That's a really nice looking camper and you're probably good to go with it. This write-up on a trip to Portsmouth was done by a member of a group I was with a few years back. Its the first of a three part trip report with links to the other two at the end of each section and, I think, covers what you can expect fairly well.

Al

 

[jc_clt]

If you are wanting to go west check out Comers Rock Recreation Area, found it on the way back from Wytheville to Charlotte. Hale lake is nearby, more a small fishing lake than anything else.
Assuming the virus dies down there are some nice areas along the New River where you can rent canoes and the New River bike trail is nice.

Clark