• Brown Pelican taking off.

    Cape Hatteras

    National Seashore North Carolina

There are park alerts in effect.
show Alerts »

  • New Off Road Vehicle Regulations

    New off road vehicle (ORV) regulations are now in effect. Please check here for information on how to get your ORV permit More »

  • Beach Fire Permits are required

    Beach Fire Permits are now required. These permits are free. Please check here for information on how to get your Beach Fire Permit More »

Seashore Night Driving Restrictions Effective May 1st

Subscribe RSS Icon | What is RSS
Date: May 1, 2012
Contact: Outer Banks Group, 252-473-2111

Superintendent Mike Murray announced today that in accordance with the new Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Management Plan for Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore), night beach driving restrictions for ORV use on Seashore ocean beaches go into effect Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 at 9:00 p.m.From May 1 - September 14, ORV routes on ocean beaches are closed to ORVs from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. during the sea turtle nesting season.Beginning September 15 to November 15, 2012, ORV routes will reopen when there are no sea turtle nests remaining on that route or portion of the route.

In addition, from May 1 to November 15, beach fires are limited to the following ocean beaches adjacent to:

·Coquina Beach parking lot

·The villages of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras

·Ocracoke Day Use area

In general, fires are allowed from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and a fire permit is required.To obtain the free beach fire permit, visit one of the three ORV permit offices, any of the park campgrounds or visitor centers, or available on-line at:http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/beach-fire-permit. The beach fire permit is valid only when a responsible adult (18 years of age or older) is present.Fires, no greater than 3 feet in diameter, may be ignited and maintained seaward of the ocean dune, below the high tide line and at least 50 feet from any vegetation.Fires cannot be left unattended and must be completely extinguished (cold to touch) upon termination of use.Clean area of all trash before leaving the beach and remember the "pack in/pack out" practice of leaving national seashore beaches in a clean and safe condition for the next visitor.

As the turtle nesting season proceeds, park visitors will encounter localized sea turtle nest protection areas.These areas are posted on-site and closed to ORVs, pedestrians, and pets.

Fireworks and metal detectors are prohibited.Pets must be on leashed at all times.

For further information, please call (252) 473-2111 ext. 148 or check http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/googleearthmap.htm

-NPS-

Did You Know?

Sea Whip, though it looks like a plant, is actually whole colony of animals.

A piece of sea whip that washes up on the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore is not a plant, but the skeleton of a whole colony of animals.

A tiny animal lived in each hole on the yellow, orange or purple stems.  It had a mouth, a stomach and eight tentacles to catch food.