Park Archives: Cape Hatteras National Seashore

A thin broken strand of islands curves out into the Atlantic Ocean and back again in a sheltering embrace of North Carolina's mainland coast and offshore sounds. For thousands of years these barrier islands—North Carolina's Outer Banks—have survived onslaughts of wind and sea. Their long stretches of beach, sand dunes, marshes, and woodlands are set aside as Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It can be a lonely place; you may walk the beach unseen except by shore birds looking for a meal. It can be a place of discovery; you may visit the 1870 Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, one of many monuments to our encounter with the sea. It can be a wild place; you may be buffeted by a gale or surprised by the honking of large flocks of migrating geese. And it can be an exciting place for surf fishing, swimming, beachcombing, canoeing, sailing, surfing, and snorkeling. Part land, part sea, Cape Hatteras offers rewards from each.

Cape Hatteras lies at the ocean's edge. But no well-defined boundary marks where sea ends and land begins. Land and sea work in an uneasy alliance here. They share many valuable resources, but the sea rules barrier islands and few places escape its influence. Take a moment to discover this seaside kingdom.

Dwarfed, odd-shaped trees may catch your eye. Severely pruned by salt-laden winds, they are just one example of how the sea affects living things. Closer by the sea, shore birds patrolling the beach for food are fun to watch. Some catch small fish or crabs carried by waves. Others probe sand or search under shells for clams, worms, or insects. Hiking through the maritime forests you briefly leave the sea behind. These woodlands of oak, cedar; and yaupon holly grow on the islands' higher; broader, somewhat protected parts.

Bright red holly berries and wildflowers enliven the mostly green, brown, and blue landscape. It is a landscape that is usually peaceful—but not always. Storms sometimes batter the islands with fierce winds and waves. Over the years you can witness the retreat of the shoreline from these violent attacks.

For the tiny ghost crab who lives on the beach in a wave-washed underground burrow survival is a matter of adaptation, of adjusting to meet the demands of the land and sea.

In protected sounds west of the islands you can find excellent opportunities for crabbing and clamming. The ocean also harbors a bounty of life-channel bass, pompano, sea trout, bluefish, and other popular fish. Wintering snow geese, Canada geese, ducks, and many other bird species populate the islands. Best times for birding are during fall and spring migrations and in winter.

Salt marshes are food sources for birds and other animals year-round. Here the sound waters meet the marsh twice each day as tides come and go, exchanging and replenishing nutrients. At the edge of the ocean you stand always on the threshold of a new experience.

Treacherous waters off the coast of the Outer Banks bear the name Graveyard of the Atlantic, a grim but fitting epithet. Over 600 ships wrecked here as victims of shallow shoals, storms, and war. Diamond Shoals, a bank of shifting sand ridges hidden beneath a turbulent sea off Cape Hatteras, has never promised safe passage for ships. But seafarers often risked the shoals to take advantage of the north- or south-flowing currents passing nearby. Many never reached their destination.

Fierce winter nor'easters and tropics-born hurricanes drove many ships aground, including the schooner G. A. Kohler in 1933. Other ships were lost in wars. World War II German submarines sank so many Allied tankers and cargo ships here that the waters earned a second sobering name—Torpedo Junction.

In the past 400 years the graveyard has claimed many lives, but island villagers saved many. As early as the 1870s villagers served in the U.S. Life Saving Service. Others staffed lighthouses built to guide mariners. Later, when the U.S. Coast Guard became guardian of the nation's shores, many residents joined its ranks. When rescue attempts failed, villagers buried the dead and salvaged shipwreck remains. Few ships wreck today, but storms still uncover the ruins of the old wrecks that lie along the beaches of the Outer Banks.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches north to south across three islands, Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke. N.C. Hwy. 12, a narrow, paved road, and Hatteras Inlet ferry link the islands. The highway goes through eight villages that reflect the nearly 300-year history of the Outer Banks. The villages are not part of the park. For more information stop at any park visitor center. Activity schedules are available. For places to camp, fish, swim, and hike.

Bodie Island Bodie Island Lighthouse, built in 1872, still has its original 1st-order Fresnel lens (not open for climbing). Bodie Island marshes teem with waterbirds, visible from a viewing platform near the lighthouse. See the sportfishing catch-of-the-day at Oregon Inlet Marina when off-shore boats return in late afternoon.

Hatteras Island Built in 1870, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the world's tallest brick lighthouse—l98.5 feet (open for climbing in summer). The nearby Buxton Woods Nature Trail winds through the maritime woods. Multiple access areas to Pamlico Sound let you explore the Seashore's marshes and wetlands.

Ocracoke Island This isolated island and its small harbor village retain much of their early charm and character. Visit the Pony Pen to see descendents of a horse herd that once freely roamed the island. Ocracoke Lighthouse, built in 1823, is North Carolina's oldest operating lighthouse (not open for climbing). Because it is close to the Gulf Stream, the island offers excellent shelling opportunities.

Camping
The four park campgrounds, Oregon Inlet, Cape Point, Frisco, and Ocracoke are open in summer; contact the park for opening and closing dates. You can reserve Ocracoke campsites for June, July, and August by calling the National Park Service reservation system. All other campsites are first-come, first-served. Camping fees are charged. Camping is allowed only in designated campgrounds. All campgrounds have cold showers, drinking water, tables, fire grills, and modern restrooms. (No utility hookups.) Dumping stations are near Oregon Inlet, Cape Point, and Ocracoke campgrounds. Sand and wind conditions require longer-than-normal tent stakes. Shade awnings and insect netting will make your camping more enjoyable.

Motorists can reach the park from the north via U.S. 158 or from the west via U.S. 64 and 264. Two toll ferries travel from the mainland to Ocracoke. Reach the one from Swan Quarter N.C., via U.S. 264, and the one from Cedar Island, N.C., via U.5. 70. From Swan Quarter the ferry trip takes 2½ hours; from Cedar Island 2¼ hours. Reservations are recommended.

Take these tips for a safe visit Unlike swimming pools or lakes, the ocean has strong currents that can make swimming dangerous. If this is your first ocean visit, ask a ranger about swimming safety. Use lifeguarded beaches when possible. Rip currents can pull you straight out into the ocean. If caught in a rip current don't fight the current to return to shore. Instead, swim parallel to shore until you are out of the current then swim to shore. Winds blow floating devices out to sea. Breaking waves can dislocate shoulders. Sand can abrade skin. Broken necks and paralysis can result from riding waves and being thrown into the sand headfirst. Ocracoke and Avon have limited medical services, and the nearest hospital is in Nags Head.

Bright sun, water, and sand can make you sunburn quickly. Brief exposure, light clothing, and sunblock are recommended. Use effective repellent for mosquitoes and other insect pests, and netting for camping. Wear shoes when on sand or in campgrounds. In winter wear warm, wind-resistant clothing—high humidity and northerly winds intensify the cold.

Hurricanes may occur from June to November. Don't take storms or nor'easters lightly at any time of the year. N.C. Hwy. 12 may overwash. Officials try to warn you in time to leave areas if a storm threatens.

Your pet is welcome at the park, but must be on a six-foot leash and under your control at all times. Pets are not allowed on designated swim beaches or in resource closures or buildings. Don't leave pets unattended and please clean up after them. Service animals are welcome in the park.

Always walk—never drive—across barrier dunes to sand beaches. Park your car in designated areas to avoid getting stuck in soft sand. Vehicles properly equipped to drive on soft sand must use access ramps. Check at park visitor centers for regulations on off-road vehicle travel. Bicyclists must use extreme caution; there are no established bike trails in the park.

Firearms For firearms regulations, check at the visitor center or visit the park website.

The contents of brochures, site bulletins and trading cards (denoted with a colored caption) can be viewed by clicking on the cover. Most modern-day brochures, however, are cover only (denoted by a white caption) due to photograph copyrights. These items are historical in scope and are intended for educational purposes only; they are not meant as an aid for travel planning. The dates under each brochure do not reflect the complete range of years that a particular brochure was issued.

1954	1955	1960	1964	1965
1967		1967		1967	1970
1971	1972	1973	1974	cover only 1976
1978-1987		cover only 1983-1997		cover only 1998-2003
cover only 2004-2006		cover only 2009-2010		cover only 2011-2015
cover only 2017-2020

Helpful Information Date Unknown	Sunbathing On Cape Hatteras National Seashore Date Unknown	Birds of the Outer Banks October 2010	Beach Driving at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Date Unknown	Beach Fire Permit 05/22/2015	Pack It In Pack It Out Date Unknown
Off-Road Vehicle Use 02/10/2012		Off-Road Vehicle Use 2018		Fishing At Cape Hatteras Date Unknown
Trading Cards

American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Monitoring (Annual Reports): 2008-2009 • 2010 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015

Colonial Waterbird Monitoring (Annual Reports): 2009 • 2010 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015

Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Monitoring (Annual Reports): 2006 • 2008 • 2009 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014

Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) Monitoring (Annual Reports): 2014 • 2015

The following visual bibliography is just a sampling of the handbooks and books which have been published for this park. NPSHistory.com does not endorse these, but are merely presenting them for informational purposes only. As most are copyrighted, we are only able to provide the covers, and not contents, of these publications.

cover only

Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Chris Kidder
2001