Horse Sense and Survival Walking Tour — Ever wanted to have a guide help you find the wild horses on Shackleford Banks? Come join the park ranger this Saturday, June 17th, for the first guided tour of the 2023 season. Spaces are still available for this event — reservations are required. Walking difficulty is Moderate as we walk the island in search of the horses. Be prepared for island conditions as we walk in loose sand, climb dunes, duck through shrubs and wind our way through prickly needlerush and even wade through knee-deep salt water or slog through marsh mud in our efforts to get close to the horses. Be sure to wear sturdy walking shoes that can also get wet and muddy. Find out what a day is like for your guide who monitors the wild horses on a daily basis! The effort is well worth it as you learn about the horses from someone who knows them best.

RESERVATIONS are required (space is limited) — making a reservation is a two-part process. 1) Call the Harkers Island Visitor Center at 252-728-2250 ext. 0 to make a program reservation. There is no charge for the program itself, there is, however, a fee for the ferry transportation. 2) Contact Island Express Ferry Service to reserve your ferry seat at: 252-728-7433. Be sure to let them know this is for the Horse Walking Tour on Saturday, June 17th. Ferry Cost: $22 for Adults, $15 for children (3-11).

Meet time for the program is at 7:45 am at the Harkers Island Visitor Center, 1800 Island Rd, Harkers Island, NC. The group will depart on the same ferry for the east end of Shackleford Banks and return to Harkers Island by 1:1:30 am.

For more information, check out the park’s webpage at: https://go.nps.gov/horsetours

Photo Credit: Betsy Cartier