kent mitchell nature trail

The paths needed cleaning up, and we saw only one bird. I have been on nicer nature trails. The views of the marsh were pleasant, however.

Hiked the trail in late afternoon. No one else was on the trail. It was pleasant. Trail is not well marked and overgrown in places. Did appreciate the foliage markers. Trail is walk-able in sandals and flat. There are several places with excellent views of the marsh. It could be improved by adding benches for seated viewing and by better marking.

The nature trail on BHI is a great setting to preserve the salt marshes of Bald Head. However it is not terribly well maintained and could use some signs pointing the direction of travel. My wife and I found ourselves knee deep in bushes because of dead ends. Go early in the day during summer months as the trail is not shaded. If the conservancy does some maintenance, the trail would be a big hit on the island.

There's much to like about this trail. There;s a Hawks Nest across from the boardwalk entrance up high in the pine trees. Once across the marsh on the boardwalk and onto the little trail through the woods we spotted many birds but our favorite spotting was a Painted Bunting. What a treat this little guy was. We also walked out along the marsh in several spots and saw the little crabs scurrying around into and out of their holes in the mud.

Bald Head Island is full of nature, and visitors should take advantage of the many opportunities to see rare and undisturbed nature up close. The Kent Mitchell Nature Trail is a relatively short romp around a small, uninhabited island in the marsh off Federal Road in the center of the island. The trail itself is well laid out, with tastefully designed signage at key locations to identify plants, trees and animal habitats. This is a kid friendly trail and an excellent introduction for children to nature. Be sure to pick up a brochure inside the mailbox at the trail head.

The nature on BHI is FANTASTIC. We saw birds, crabs, and even an alligator! (Ask anyone who visits the island regularly and they can tell you where to find them.) The nature trail on BHI can be split in to sections. We LOVED the board work and trail that went throught the marshes. We were there is summer, and we just made sure to go before it became too hot. We did the trail with a 1 year old in a backpack, and a 5 year old who walked with us. This trail provided gorgeous views of the wetlands that we didn't get anywhere else on the island. There were boardwalks in sections, so that you don't have to walk in the mud; they don't have railings, but they are wide enough so that I wasn't worried about the 5 year old walking ahead of us. The next morning we did one of the small loops that went through the forest. That section did not go as smoothly. It was nice to be in the maritime forest, but there were sections where the mosquitoes were AWFUL. I realize that this would potentially be a season, and even hourly variation, but it made the trip with 2 kids very uncomfortable. If you have older kids and don't mind using a lot of deet it would probably be a lot more enjoyable.

Although a majority of families come to BHI for the remoteness and beach vacation vibe, we actually enjoy the nature part of the island. The Nature Trail isn't too long or too short. You can walk/hike it quickly or slow down and smell the flowers. Either way, it's a nice way to spend some time enjoying some quiet!

It is a quick walk in nature. You will love it.