CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE CAMPING FREE

For more information on the Trash Free Park program, visit the Leave No Trace page. Do not bury any trash as the sand is constantly moving and buried trash re-surfaces quickly. Visitors must take all their trash out of the park when they leave. Dump stations for vehicle campers are located in the Great Island and former Long Point cabin areas and near the point of the cape. In other areas, human waste should be buried above the high tide line in a location where other people will be unlikely to walk or camp. Restrooms, water and public shower facilities are available seasonally in the Great Island and former Long Point cabin areas.

There are restrooms open seasonally in areas of high visitation including the lighthouse area on South Core Banks, Wade's Shore on Shackleford Banks, and Portsmouth Village on North Core Banks. No drinking water is available on Shackleford Banks or in Portsmouth Village. During the off-season do not depend on this water as your primary source. These sources of water are turned off during the coldest part of the winter to prevent busted pipes. At the cabin camps, drinking water is available in the public restrooms. During the summer months, drinking water is available at the restrooms near the lighthouse and from a spigot on the back road near the boardwalk to the beach. Campers should bring all the food and fresh water they will need during their visit. There are no camp stores within the park. No vehicle may be left unattended for over 24 hours without a permit. Special use permits for Long-Term parking are required for vehicles located in long-term parking lots. Vehicles, including bicycles and E-bikes, are not permitted on Shackleford Banks.

CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE CAMPING DRIVERS

Drivers must follow the regulations for off-road vehicles (ORVs) outlined on the Beach Driving section of the website and must have an ORV Beach Driving Permit. In addition, no vehicle is allowed to camp on the trail behind the dunes known as the 'back road' unless there is a designated signed spot. Visitors are welcome to camp with their vehicles, but vehicles, including any style trailer or pop-up camper, or vehicles with a rooftop tent or truck bed camper, must be kept on the oceanside beach seaward of the primary dunes, not between or on top of dunes. Because it disturbs vegetation, do not camp on top of the dunes. Camping is not permitted on Harkers Island, in Portsmouth Village, in the Cape Lookout Light Station complex, in the Cape Village (including the Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station), in long term parking areas, or on property held under private lease. All camping is limited to 14 consecutive days.Ĭampsites must be at least 100 feet from wells, shade shelters, bulletin boards, docks or other structures and at least 100 yards from the lighthouse and from any cabin or house. Group permit applications can be downloaded from the Camping Permits page. Permits are not generally required for camping, but overnight groups of 25 or more are required to obtain a Special Use Permit. All camping within the park is primitive beach camping: there are no designated campgrounds.

Cape lookout national seashore camping