‘Hunter’s paradise’: 8,700-acre private island for sale in Eastern NC for $5.8M
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- One of the largest contiguous tracts actively listed for sale in NC.
- Property includes 3.5 miles waterfront plus 53-acre mainland parcel with power.
- Wetlands and boat-only access limit development; property appeals to hunters.
Hidden in the marshes between Alligator River and Pamlico Sound, an 8,700-acre private island is back on the market near North Carolina’s coast.
The price tag: $5.8 million.
Described as the “Amazon rainforest of the Eastern Seaboard” and a “hunter’s paradise,” Roper Island sits along the Intracoastal Waterway in Hyde County. A mix of swamp, pocosin and dense coastal forest, it’s roughly one and a half times the size of Ocracoke Island, and teeming with black bears, wild hogs, ducks and turkeys.
It’s also remote, only accessible by boat. No roads, development or amenities. It’s about a two-hour drive east from downtown Raleigh.
According to Aaron Sutton, managing broker at National Land Realty, it’s one of the largest contiguous tracts of land actively listed for sale in the state.
“It’s a cool property for an adventurous person,” he said on Friday.
The property includes 3.5 miles of developable waterfront, plus an additional 53-acre mainland tract with electrical access, “perfect for building a private lodge, marina or staging area,” he said.
But realistically, the island’s remoteness and wetlands make large-scale development extremely challenging. There’s a conservation easement on the island’s main portion.
“It’s a recreational property. Basically, the only thing you can do is hunt it,” Sutton said. “In Hyde County, people pay upwards of $30,000 if they kill a bear, so there’s a huge commercial market.”
The sellers, Roper Island Wildlife Refuge LLC, initially purchased some 8,200 acres “sight unseen” in November 2022, said Sutton, who also brokered the sale. They paid $1.4 million, according to property records.
The LLC is managed by Hugh Giffords, Patrick Scott Van Pelt, and William Henry Van Pelt, all based in Houston, Texas, state records show.
They bought the island to own a remote property, Sutton said, and later combined it with an adjacent privately owned 500-acre strip of waterfront.
Given the early interest, he hopes the property will sell within six to 12 months.
Hyde County is tiny in population but huge in land mass: about 1,459 square miles in total area, making it one of the largest counties in North Carolina. Its real estate market reflects that contrast.
Active listings include rural lots from $18,000 to multimillion‑dollar coastal holdings like Roper Island.
Countywide, the median sale price for single-family homes stood at $304,000 in October, according to Realtor.com. That’s down 11.8% year over year.
This story was originally published January 9, 2026 at 12:26 PM.
