Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Segment 15
7 days · 110.1 mi · moderate · Point-to-point
Quick facts
What the Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Segment 15 is known for
Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Segment 15 (The Onslow Bight & Jacksonville) is a 7-day backpacking route of about 88 miles running from Holly Shelter Game Land through Onslow County and the Jacksonville area to Stella on the White Oak River. The route crosses longleaf pine forest, coastal plain game lands, and tidal creek corridors bordering the Onslow Bight — the broad arc of coast between Cape Fear and Cape Lookout — on nearly flat terrain where the forest opens toward estuarine marshes near the segment's end.
Elevation profile
Elevation ranges from 10 ft to 217 ft over 110.1 mi. Measured from OSM geometry (approximate).
- Uphill 0.6 mi · 1%
- Downhill 1.2 mi · 1%
- Flat 105.0 mi · 98%
Ridgefold breaks every route into uphill, downhill, and flat — see the full per-day breakdown in the app.
How hard is the Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Segment 15?
On the Ridgefold Difficulty Index, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Segment 15 scores 17/100, a relative rating across the 1,243 trails we've mapped, blending distance, elevation gain, and steepness. It is a comparison within our set, not an official rating.
Frequently asked questions
How much elevation gain is on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Segment 15?
The Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Segment 15 climbs roughly 374 ft total — about 3 ft per mile, topping out near 72 ft.
Related trails
Sources & attribution
Route geometry from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 — source relation. Stats are approximate and may differ from official surveys; permit rules and conditions change — verify with the managing authority before your trip. Last reviewed July 2026.