Buxton Woods Picnic Area

Buxton Woods Picnic Area is an outdoor picnic clearing on Lighthouse Road in Buxton, tucked into maritime forest near Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The tables sit among mature trees, and the area has a view of the lighthouse. It is an easy way to add a wooded break to a lighthouse-area drive.

The Buxton Woods nature trail starts from the picnic lot. Plan on about three-quarters of a mile through the forest; it is mostly flat, though the ground is uneven in places. Interpretive signs and a short boardwalk over marsh give the walk a change of scene. Look for Jennette's Sedge, a freshwater wetland along the route. Buxton Woods is part of the largest remaining contiguous maritime evergreen forest on the Atlantic coast, so even this short walk shows a different side of Hatteras than its open beaches.

The picnic area is on Lighthouse Road, just beyond the turn for the lighthouse and visitor center. Parking is ample, with tables spread around the clearing, two portable restrooms, and an EV charger in the lot. Bring your own lunch; this is a picnic stop rather than a dining destination. Come for a shaded meal or an easy forest walk, not a long hike.