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Corolla's
wild mustangs can only be reached by taking 4-wheel drive vehicles up the beach
from the north end of NC12, which ends on the southern edge of the remote area.
This area's northern end is sealed off by a fence along the Virginia border,
which bounds another protected wildlife area in Virginia that is closed to vehicles
anyway.
At times, the beach can be wide and
hard packed, and even 2-wheel drive works fine. At other times, the beach can
be deep, soft sand for miles. Usually it alternates between both as you drive
along, so attempting the trip without a high-stance 4-wheel drive vehicle is
foolhardy at best. Driving over the dune ramps from the beach to look for the
wild horses on the back roads can be tricky even with a 4-wheel drive. The back
roads themselves seem to get worse and worse every year, with increasingly larger
and deeper water puddles and mud holes to deal with. Sometimes that's what it
takes though to find these fascinating wild horses when they're not out on the
beach.
The alternative to driving the beach
to find the wild horses is to take a guided off-road tour and let someone else
worry about the driving. That way you can just concentrate on seeing the wild
Spanish mustangs, whether along the beach or off behind the dunes among the brush
and trees. The guides know the favorite haunts of the various family groups among
these wild horses, and may have permission to take tours into private areas where
the general public is otherwise not permitted.
Another option is to rent a 4-wheel
drive. But whether you rent one or drive your own, looking for the wild horses
can be a real adventure. Keep in mind that in this remote area there are no public
facilities at all - nowhere to buy food, no gas stations and no public bathrooms.
Plan to spend two to four hours, and be aware of the tide schedule.
Not far north of where you enter
the beach off NC12 sits a large green sea buoy that has washed ashore in recent
years. Once you reach that buoy you should begin watching for horses. They often
come over the dunes near the buoy and walk north up the beach, or leave the beach
near the buoy when headed south. You are likely to find the horses anywhere from
the buoy northward.
Take your time and watch the dunes
carefully. It's easy to miss seeing the horses when they're just over the dunes.
Also watch up and down the beach. If you see a crowd of people gathering, or
a group of vehicles stopped on the beach, you can almost bet they are watching
some wild mustangs strolling along the beach, or grazing right behind the dunes.
Whether or not you are taking photos
for yourself, be considerate of others who are. They didn't come to get photos
of people, they want photos of the wild mustangs, so don't walk, stand or park
in their way. There is plenty of room on the beach for everyone to see the horses
without being inconsiderate.
If you take your search over the
dune ramps to look for the wild horse, be mindful of the large water puddles
that you will surely encounter. Don't make the mistake of taking on a puddle
too deep for your vehicle. Just like the beach, the roads here alternate between
hard-packed dirt and deep sand, and many are too narrow to pass another vehicle.
Don't worry about getting lost though. You can wander around on these roads for
hours without knowing just where it is you're going. When you're ready to leave,
just keep working your way east until you find a ramp.
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