Sunset Trail

The Sunset Trail at Jockeys Ridge State Park follows a direct route up the dune face to the summit ridge for the specific purpose of experiencing one of the Outer Banks most celebrated natural spectacles, the simultaneous view of sunset over Roanoke Sound and the evening sky reflected in the Atlantic Ocean visible on the opposite horizon. Standing atop the great dune at day end, visitors look west to watch the sun descend through successive layers of coastal atmosphere, painting the sound surface in colors that range from gold to orange to deep crimson as the light fades. At the same moment, looking east, the darkening Atlantic sky above the ocean horizon mirrors the same color progression in reverse. The narrow barrier island geography of the Outer Banks makes this dual-horizon sunset view possible at a very small number of locations along the entire East Coast of the United States. The dune surface cools quickly after sunset as the stored daytime heat radiates rapidly into the clear coastal air, making a light layer advisable even in summer. The trail name captures the essential character of this route, which is less about the journey than about arriving at the summit in time to witness the evening transformation of the barrier island landscape. The return descent in fading light offers a final perspective of the dune field glowing softly in the last colors of day.