| |
|
 |
|
| |
Plan a Road Trip > Explore America > National Parks > Cape Lookout National Seashore |
|
|
| |
|
| |
131 Charles St, Harkers Island, NC 28531
Phone: 252-728-2250
Fax: 252-728-2160
Open All Year
Overview. Cape Lookout National Seashore is a world of shifting sand dunes, salt marshes, and tidal flats teeming with life. Accessible only by water and almost completely undeveloped, these barrier islands stretch 55 miles from Ocracoke Inlet to Beaufort Inlet -- 55 miles of remote solitude. Here, the endangered loggerhead sea turtle comes to nest. In summer, tropical fish, attracted by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, find a habitat along the rock jetties of the Core Banks. The marshes attract an array of aquatic birds, and bottlenose dolphin cavort just off the Atlantic coast. On Shackleford Banks, the southernmost island, feral horses roam the maritime forests abandoned by the humans who once kept them.
Save for visitors, humans no longer inhabit these islands. Evidence of their history can be seen at the historic Cape Lookout Lighthouse, where the former keeper's quarters serve as a seasonal visitor center, and at Portsmouth Village, which was once an important off-loading site for incoming ships.
What to see and do. Before setting out to the seashore, stop by the visitor center on Harkers Island. It is open daily from 8 AM to 4:30 PM, with the exception of Christmas and New Year's Day, to provide information on the park's history and geology, and to help you plan your visit according to your time and interests. Rangers at the visitor center can provide up-to-date ferry information, either in person or via recorded phone message.
Cape Lookout National Seashore is accessible by ferry or private boat from several North Carolina coastal towns. Ferries operate from mid-March to the first weekend in December. There are no roads or established trails on the islands, although four-wheel-drive and all-terrain vehicles may drive along the beach. Bicycles and two-wheel-drive automobiles are likely to be mired in sand; don't waste the expense and inconvenience of ferrying them to the island. Several rustic, no-frills cabins are available on both the north and south islands through ferry concessionaires; call Morris Marina, Kabin Kamps and Ferry Service (252-225-4261) for north island information and Alger G. Willis Fishing Camps (252-729-2791) for details concerning south island accommodations.
Camping is allowed along the seashore, but there are no formally designated sites or campgrounds. Tents should be sturdy to withstand harsh winds and tent stakes should be extra-long for use in sand. You'll want a tent with mosquito netting, too, as insects can be fierce here in season. There are no services on the islands; all supplies, including water, must be packed in. Campers should remove all trace of their campsites when they leave, and this includes packing trash and garbage out.
Both overnight and day-use visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, from exploring the grounds around the historic lighthouse and the eerie, abandoned village of Portsmouth, where a self-guided trail explains the town's history, to beachcombing, fishing, boating, cross-country hiking, and swimming. Please take note that none of the seashore beaches are guarded, and that swimmers take to the ocean waters at their own risk. Due to frequent rip currents and rough surf, no one should ever attempt to swim alone.
Contact the visitor center for a schedule of ranger-led activities.
Search All National Parks
Please call ahead to confirm details. We do our best to give you current information, but facts can change. Please let us know if you find something's changed.
|
|
|
|
