National Forests in North Carolina, Near Swansboro, North Carolina
Cedar Point Recreation Area does not offer reservations through Recreation.gov. Please take a look at the area details below for more information about visiting this location. Enjoy your visit!
The Cedar Point Recreation Area, near the mouth of the White Oak River, is surrounded by a salt marsh and a coastal forest. The salt marsh, where fresh water meets salt water, stretches out like a sea of grass. This nutrient-rich wetland is a valuable "nursery" for commercial seafood, including fish, shrimp, crabs and oysters.
A small-craft boat ramp and fishing pier provides easy access to the river and its bounty. The shallow water is suited to flat-bottom boats. Canoes and kayaks can navigate the maze of canals through the salt march. From the boat ramp, paddle around the point, then pass under the boardwalk of the Tideland Trail. Be aware of the tides; an extremely low tide can leave some canals dry. The loop is shown on the map is about 2 miles and can be completed in half a day.
The campground has 36 sites with electrical hookups, a bathhouse with flush toilets, warm showers, drinking water and a ramp for shallow water boats. Picnic tables are nearby. The Cedar Point Tideland Trail crosses boardwalks to explore the salt marsh and the life above and beneath.
Common birds around the salt marsh:
Osprey*, Red-tail hawk, Turkey vulture, Fish crow, Common egret, Snowy egret, Great blue heron, Tri-colored heron, Little blue heron, Red-winged blackbird, Boat-tail grackle, Belted kingfisher.
Common birds in the forest:
Carolina chikadee, Brown-headed nuthatch, Tufted titmouse, Northern mockingbird, Brown thrasher, Caolinawren, Blue-gray gnatcatcher, Pine warbler, Northern cardinal, Rufous-sided tewhee, Eastern bluebird, Red-bellied woodpecker, Red-headed woodpecker, Pileated woodpecker
*Mostly Mar-Oct. All others are year-round residents
Common Mammals:
White-tailed deer, Raccoon
Other Common Wildlife:
Marsh periwinkle, Fiddler crabs, Blue crabs, Oysters, Mud crabs, numerous insects, Green anole lizard, Eastern fence lizard.