North Core Banks - Beach Camping
Dispersed camping along the ocean beach of this 20- barrier island -- this is backcountry-style camping -- all camping is done directly on the ocean beach, there are no camp sites. This area is reached only by ferry. Both tent camping and vehicle camping is allowed. There are no hard surfaces on the island. Practice Leave No Trace principles.
More like this: first-come in North Carolina · dark sky in North Carolina
Amenities & rules
| Dark sky | Inside Cape Lookout National Seashore, a certified International Dark Sky Park |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Take a ferry from Atlantic, NC over to Long Point on South Core Banks. The barrier islands of Cape Lookout National Seashore may only be reached by boat -- either your own boat or a ferry from the mainland.
| Coordinates | 34.8990° N, 76.2573° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- Vehicles -- 4x4 highly recommended -- must be able to drive on the soft sand of the beach and the sand trail behind the dunes known as the "back road".
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 8.8 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Tradewinds Tackle Shop ↗ | 21.6 mi |
| RV sales & service | Riverside Camping Center ↗ | 45.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Public land it sits in
Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge begins about 3 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 3 miCedar Island National Wildlife Refuge ↗National Wildlife Refuge · Fish and Wildlife Service · 14,360 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Salter–Battle Hunting and Fishing LodgeBuilding · Ocracoke · 14.9 mi
Guidebooks for North Carolina
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- Great Day Hikes on North Carolina's Mountains-To-Sea TrailFriends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Jim Grode, 2020Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at North Core Banks - Beach Camping?
No. North Core Banks - Beach Camping is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Is North Core Banks - Beach Camping good for stargazing?
Yes. North Core Banks - Beach Camping sits inside Cape Lookout National Seashore, a certified International Dark Sky Park.
Source: DarkSky International
What if North Core Banks - Beach Camping is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are South Core Banks -- Beach Camping (13 mi, first-come), Ocracoke Campground (24.3 mi), and Cape Point Campground (30 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby
Which national park is North Core Banks - Beach Camping in?
North Core Banks - Beach Camping is a Cape Lookout National Seashore campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.
Source: Cape Lookout National Seashore