Jesse Elliot, a young whipper-snapper known to be a pretty high livin', reckless sort, was prone to racing horses, especially on Sundays.
Now Jesse lived in a God-fearing riverside community, where the oldest church in North Carolina, and one of the oldest in America - St. Thomas Episcopal Church - stands. One particular fall afternoon in the 1800's, Jesse shouted to his horse galloping down the race lane, "Take me in a winner, or take me to Hell." Whereas, the horse dug its hoofs into the soft ground in two mighty leaps and hurled Jesse against a near-by tree, killing him instantly.
Throughout the years, the hoofprints have remained, refusing to be filled in. Nothing covers the hoofprints for long, though many have tried by piling leaves, sticks or other objects into the crevices, only to return later to find them bare.
Discover wild Spanish Mustangs and our unique Barrier Island ecology on the Wild Horse Safari. Explore over 30 miles of "off road" beach, dune and sand trail and ride with a professional naturalist guide in a custom 4x4 open-air Safari Cruiser, or...
Jockey's Ridge State Park is an unmistakable landmark for Nags Head vacationers and virtually everyone passing through along the main beach bypass, US 158. This park is marked by its towering sand dunes, which reach 80' - 100' feet tall and look...
Take a quick and scenic ferry ride with your experienced guide over to the pristine Outer Banks Island of Shackleford Banks, which is part of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. There, you are introduced to the wild horses of Shackleford...
Crystal Coast vacationers can venture off the coast where the big catches are waiting with a fishing trip that’s commandeered by the Carolina Princess. Launching out of Downtown Morehead City, and easy to reach for veritably anyone staying in...



