About this campground
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 dunes known as the "back road". There are no hard surfaces on the island. Practice Leave No Trace principles.
Getting there
Take a ferry from Davis, NC over to Great Island 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.
Nearby federal campgrounds
- GREAT ISLAND CABIN CAMPCape Lookout National Seashore0 mi
- Great Island Cabin OfficeCape Lookout National Seashore0 mi
- Harkers Island Visitor CenterCape Lookout National Seashore8 mi
- Light Station Visitor CenterCape Lookout National Seashore11 mi
- LONG POINT CABIN CAMPCape Lookout National Seashore13 mi
- OYSTER POINT CAMPGROUNDNational Forests in North Carolina20 mi
Explore more North Carolina camping
South Core Banks -- Beach camping doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby North Carolina campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse North Carolina camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.