Cape Lookout National Seashore

Usual hours

• Mon–Sun 0:00–0:00

From 56 published days, 2026-10-25 to 2026-12-19; community-mapped.

About

Entrance / day-use fee applies.

This park's official page lists: Store / concessions.

This park's official page lists: Visitor center, Drinking water, Picnic areas, Showers, Store / concessions.

Official facts

Public access: Open access.

Protected area: 13,019 acres (5,269 ha).

Designation: National Seashore. Listed as "Cape Lookout National Seashore" in the Protected Areas Database of the United States. Protection: managed for biodiversity (GAP 2). IUCN category V.

Established: 1966.

Managed by: NPS.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1

Events

• Horse Sense and Survival Horse Watching Walking Tour
• Starlight Cruise to Cape Lookout Lighthouse

Before you go

Mobility

Available in the park: mobility & stroller rentals. Confirm rental availability and pricing with the park.

Limits

Picnic tables and shade shelters are available at Shell Point on Harkers Island and near the ferry landing at the lighthouse

Limits

Yes, service dogs are legally permitted anywhere in a park that visitors can go

⚠ Park closure: Passenger Ferry Dock Closed; Visitors Deboard via Beach Landing

The ferry dock servicing the Cape Lookout Lighthouse area is closed for repairs. Visitors will deboard the ferry in front of the lighthouse. To reach the boardwalk, visitors will need to walk 5–10 minutes on soft sand. Depending on the tide, visitors may also need to walk through water.

Getting there

Cape Lookout National Seashore can be reached without taking a ferry: the Visitor Center on Harkers Island, NC. Please note: the park mailing address does not bring you to the Harkers Island Visitor Center parking lot. If you are using a GPS device - use the parking lot coordinates (34.68494, -74.52725) or the following "address" which approximates the location of the parking lot entrance: 1800 Island Rd, Harkers Island, NC 28531

Weather & when to go

Spring: Temperatures generally range from 50 F to 70+ F. Rain & wind are common Summer: Temperatures usually range from 80 F to 100 F with high humidity (80-90%). Average wind speed is 10-15 mph. Be prepared with plenty of water. With little shade on the islands, an umbrella to provide shade from the sun is a good idea. Fall: Temperatures usually range from the high 70 F to the upper 40 F. Winter: Temperatures usually range from 50 F - 32 F. Winds can be strong. Dress in layers.

Visitor center

Great Island Cabin Office — Open Seasonally from mid-March until end of November. Actual dates may vary, please see the park's website for details. — The Great Island Cabin Camp can be reached by ferries leaving from the town of Davis, NC. These ferries can carry both passengers and four-wheel drive vehicles.

Visitor center

Great Island Cabin Office

Visitor center

Great Island Cabin Office

Visitor center

Great Island Cabin Office

Visitor center

Harkers Island Visitor Center — Open all year — This visitor center is located on the eastern end of Harkers Island, approximately 20 mi (30 km) east of Beaufort, NC and 30 mi (50 km) south of the Cedar Island terminus of the North Carolina State Ferry route from Ocracoke Island to Cedar Island. This visitor center is one of two Ferry Gateways to the Cape Lookout Light Station and Shackleford Banks.

Visitor center

Harkers Island Visitor Center

Visitor center

Harkers Island Visitor Center

Visitor center

Harkers Island Visitor Center

Visitor center

Light Station Visitor Center

Visitor center

Light Station Visitor Center

Visitor center

Light Station Visitor Center

Visitor center

Light Station Visitor Center — Open seasonally; 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily during the season. — Located on South Core Banks 3 miles offshore from the Harkers Island Visitor Center, the primary way to reach the Light Station Vistior Center is by the passenger ferry or taking your personal boat. Visitors with 4-wheel drive vehicles may take the vehicle ferry from Davis to the Great Island Cabin Camp on South Core Banks and drive the 10 miles down the beach to the entrance from the "backroad"…

Facilities on the park map

3 bench, 1 changing table, 2 defibrillator, 4 first aid kit, 1 mobility rental, 2 picnic area, 20 restroom, 17 visitor information, 5 water fountain.

Where to stay

• Great Island Cabin Camp Great Island Cabin Camp offers 23 rustic, wooden beachfront cabins with porches for individuals and families or small groups of up to 12 people. Cabins range in size from 288 to 960 sq ft., and Cabin 2 is accessible. All cabins are wired for generator use, needed to power electricity. Guests must provide their own generators, no larger than 5,500 watts or equipped with a GFI. · 23 campsites · Accessibility: Cabin area is flat but has no hard surfaces, all travel areas are soft sand making the use of a wheelchair or other mobility devices challenging. Cabin 2 is…
• South Core Banks -- Beach camping Dispersed camping along the ocean beach of this 20 mile long 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. Vehicles -- 4x4 highly recommended -- must be able to drive on the soft sand of the beach and the sand trail behind the dune · Accessibility: The wide sandy beaches of South Core Banks are covered in soft sand which makes for uneven footing and not easy for mobility assistance devices to navigate…
• 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. Vehicles -- 4x4 highly recommended -- must be able to drive on the soft sand of the beach and the sand trail behind the dunes known a · Accessibility: The wide sandy beaches of North Core Banks are covered in soft sand which makes for uneven footing and not easy for mobility assistance devices to navigate…