Distance: 9.2 miles round trip
Degree of difficulty: Easy
Elevation Change: Gain, 100 feet; loss, 89 feet
Source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains – to – Sea Trail
Hike 33 of the Mountains-to-sea 40 Hike Challenge extends along the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in Jacksonville, NC. The trail is actually a paved greenway and begins at the Lejeune Memorial Gardens. If you are planning on completing this hike or if you are in the area, I recommend that you take some additional time to visit all of the memorials available here.
There are four well designed and impactful memorials: the Beirut Memorial; Vietnam Veterans Memorial; Montford Point Marine Memorial (in honor of the first African American Marines) and the 9/11 Memorial.
As I finished my hike, I had the privilege of witnessing a memorial service for the 38th anniversary of the Beirut bombings. It was a solemn but beautiful service, which continues the promise to “never forget”.
The hike from the Memorial Gardens continues on a paved path along the edge of the Marine Corps Base for 4.8 miles. There are very few exit points from the trail because it runs along the edge of the base and beside the busy Lejeune Blvd, which is a 4 lane divided highway. Possible options are to hike beyond the 4.8 miles and walk along Lejeune Blvd until you reach an available pick up area, or do an out and back. The 40 Hike Challenge recommends an out and back, and it also allows the hiker the flexibility to turn around at any point, depending on how far they want to walk.
The beginning of the walk is intriguing as the path includes several tunnels under the base roadways as well intricate walk bridges over otherwise impassable wetlands.
This hike is an easy, level walk. However, I have to admit that there is one section of about one and a half miles of just a straight path – no curves, bridges or tunnels. I found this to be a bit mentally taxing.
The long stretch ends at a rewarding bridge over the scenic New River.
I believe that this hike is an important and significant part of the MST. By including the Memorial Gardens and the pathway at Lejeune, the MST pays tribute to the important role of military personnel here in our great state of North Carolina.
A complete list of the 40 Hikes and their Blog Posts can be found here
40 Hike Challenge Blue Ridge Parkway Conserving Carolina Falls Lake Hickory Nut Gorge Hiking Lake Lure Linville Gorge Mountains to Sea Mount Mitchell North Carolina Trails
Good luck as you get closer to the end!!!