Fort Macon-NO but Tideland Trail-YES

 Location: Cedar Point Campground (National Forest Service); Cedar Point, North Carolina, about 10 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean between Morehead City and Jacksonville, N.C.

The planned exploration for the day was to Fort Macon State Park. The park mainly consists of the property surrounding old Fort Macon including the fort. The fort was built between 1826 and 1834 to protect the inlet to Beaufort Harbor which was North Carolina's only deep-water port. After many years of the fort being occupied, it was abandoned with the excepton of one old Sergeant and his family who served as groundskeepers. In April of 1861, shortly before the start of the Civil War (War of Northern Aggression or War for Southern Independence), the North Carolina Militia asked the groundskeeper to vacate the fort so they could take it over. He politely did so, and the Confederates occupied the fort. It was at this same time that the South Carolina Militia asked the forces at Fort Sumter to abandon their fort turn it over to the Confederates. Fort Sumter had a much stronger force and refused to do so. Knowing that President Lincoln was sending reinforcements to Sumter, the South demanded surrender of the fort. After refusal, the South attacked Sumter which was officially the beginning of the war. 

After a year of war, the Union forces laid siege to Fort Macon and within a month, the Confederates surrendered the fort. It sure sounds interesting and a good way to spend the day, uh? I went and sat through a very nice and informative documentary at the fort but didn't feel like wandering around like I had planned. I'm not sure of the reason, but after the film, I just went back to Freedom and left. It was strange, I've never done that before, not even at some of the places I had heebie-jeebies about. Oh well, it wasn't a big deal, just a strange curiosity that I will try to figure out later someday. I went back to Liberty.

The back-up plan (you got to have a back-up) was to check out the Tideland Trail that is right outside the entrance to the campground. It is a nice, well-maintained set of trails and elevated boardwalks through the tideland basin, or as a Louisiana native would call 'the marsh' or 'mud flats'. I hit the trail very early the following morning and was the only one there for a while before a couple of people showed up. The trail is kind of secluded so there could have been a dozen, and I wouldn't have been aware of them. The trail was about 1 1/2 miles in length and I enjoyed it. I hit it at the right time as far as privacy, temperature, weather, etc. It was such good timeing, I didn't pick up any ticks, chiggers or other freeloaders. The pictures of it are what will make up the rest of the post. If you camp at this campground, I think it is a must see, that is in addition to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse.

This is the trailhead which is just outside the entrance to the campground. It is also part of the National Forest Service

It is a combination of trails and elevated boardwalks.

Parts look a little swampy

 

Pretty locations and the builders of the boardwalk did an excellent job.

Blue bird house for a blue bird? The boardwalk blends in with the surrounding area nicely.

There were even an occasional bench but I didn't try them out like I usually do because of the insects I was warned about. 

There was even a rainbow bridge. I figure the builders got tired of just building flat grade ones. 

A nice viewpoint looking out over part of the bay. This is from one of the boardwalks

There were a few more strongly built bridges. Maybe heavier runoff?

One of the last "open views" from the trail.

This boat ramp is located at the trail head so if you bring a kayak or canoe it is a good launch spot real close to the campground.

Today day 6 and final for my stay here. I'm ready to move on down the road. Six days is way too long for me and the way I travel. Sadly, (maybe sadly, we'll see) there is a campground down the road that I have reservations at for seven days. I had to do that to reschedule campgrounds due to the Corps of Engineers cancelling one of my stops due to staff shortages. I'll see what I can find today to keep me busy.

Tomorrow is moving day, and I have a 220-mile tow along the coast to another National Forest Service Campground along the Intracoastal Waterway about 40 minutes north of Charleston, South Carolina. I'll ready for a night thinking tow.

Ya'll take care of each other. Maybe I'll Cya down the road.