(original image from NASA)

The coast of North Carolina

Lying just east of the North Carolina mainland are the barrier islands that comprise the famed Outer Banks. Cape Lookout National Seashore protects the southern-most section of this barrier island system.

The upper hook, or cape, on the map to the right is Cape Hatteras. The lower is Cape Lookout--the southern tip of the park which bears its name.

Within the seashore's boundaries, the islands are without the usual man-made trappings of paved roads, resort facilities, or bridge connections to the mainland and provide pristine examples of the dynamics of natural barrier islands.

The park tracks the population levels of several special interest species. The annual reports for these monitoring efforts can be found on the Wildlife Management page.