There is nothing but a simple fence that separates North Carolina from Virginia.    False Cape State Park is one of the only untouched pieces of land that touches the Atlantic Ocean.

This stretch of land has rolling soft dunes, open spaces and a trail that runs six miles north to south.

I prepared for the adventure with good socks and hiking boots and plenty of water.    Maggie never argues and bounds off into the sand!

The colors of the day were taken from a box of crayons.    To feel the sand, sun and wind from the ocean created a sense of peace.   The path was clearly marked as we ventured forward.    Hiking in sand is tough,   It takes a lot more work and our pace was definitely slower than dirt and rock trails.

I had visited this park a few years back and really wanted to explore it.   There were camping sites and the lushness of the trees and canopies created in nature were strewn throughout.

Drawn deeper and deeper into the park, the highs and lows of the dunes provides a vast array of foliage.    No deer, no wildlife to be seen anywhere.    After the crest of 2-3 hills the sound of the roaring ocean disappeared, the breeze of the day settled into a gentleness with the appearance of a few random butterflies floating about.

 The day was perfect and my sidekick was having a blast until she had enough.    This four legged creature has the belly exposed to the sand and was closer to the ground, when she had enough!

Maggie very much has opinions and its truly funny to watch this spunky pup stop dead in her tracks and stay “I NEED A BREAK!”     With the breezes off the ocean gone, and this 60 lb beauty deciding for me to stop and dig a cool hole in the sand for a nap – you stop and enjoy the surroundings.   Look for more posts on the trees!

With a thirty minute nap and an abundance of water, the choice was made to return to NC.    Maggie is my friend and trusted companion and that afternoon I needed to respect her boundary.    She had enough!     I will return to this land to explore the whole length of the trail.    The sweet reward of hiking near the ocean was an afternoon of playtime in the water!  ~ until next time!