News Release

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial announce temporary closures of visitor centers

Date: March 17, 2020
Contact: Mike Barber, 252-475-9032

To minimize potential spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), consistent with federal, state, and local advisories, visitor centers at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial are temporarily closed, effective immediately.

Additional information:
Cape Hatteras National Seashore

• Off-road vehicle (ORV) permits can be purchased online at www.recreation.gov. The status of each ORV ramp and beach route can be found at http://go.nps.gov/beachaccess.

• Beachgoers should use caution in the ocean as no lifeguards are on duty at this time of year.

• The Oregon Inlet Campground, the Seashore’s only year-round campground, is closed.

• The grounds of Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras, and Ocracoke Lighthouses are open.

• The Ocracoke Island roadside cleanup scheduled for March 26 is canceled.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

• The grounds of Fort Raleigh National Historic Site are open.

Wright Brothers National Memorial

• The grounds of Wright Brothers National Memorial are open.

In addition to the information listed above, visitors should be aware that in Dare County’s COVID-19 Bulletin #2, a decision was announced restricting visitor access to the county beginning today at 2:00 p.m.

The National Park Service continues to monitor and respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The safety and health of our employees, partners, and visitors remain our top priority. For NPS COVID-19 updates, visit www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the Department of Health of Human Services is the lead federal agency with responsibility for public health. For more CDC information on COVID-19, visit www.coronavirus.gov.