Alerts & Conditions

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Beach & Ocean Info

• Beach Access Map
• Off-road vehicle (ORV) Frequently Asked Questions
• Before driving on designated off-road vehicle routes, we strongly recommend that tire pressure be lowered to at least 20 psi. The softer the sand, the lower the pressure needed. Reinflate tires to normal pressure as soon as possible after returning to paved roads. Many local businesses have air pumps.
• [Daily Rip Current Forecast] [Rip Current Safety Info]

  • Low risk means that wind and/or wave conditions are expected to support the development of rip currents.

  • Moderate risk means that wind and/or wave conditions support stronger or more frequent rip currents. Only experienced surf swimmers should enter the surf on moderate risk days.
  • High risk means that wind and/or wave conditions support dangerous rip currents. Rip currents on high risk days are life-threatening to anyone entering the surf.
• Recreational shellfishing advisories - N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries info

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Beach Access Status

Last Update: October 16, 2020 at 7:57 a.m.


Dates and times only change when there are status updates to report.
Consider the info below to be current, even if the date listed above is not today's date.

 

Bodie Island

Ramp 2 (Priority Ramp)
-North: Pedestrian access only

-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions. 1-3 foot cliffs and one lane of travel in some areas.
  

Ramp 4 (Priority Ramp)
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions.

-South: Open to ORVs until vehicle free boundary (roughly 1.3 miles)

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions.

 

Hatteras Island

Ramp 23
-North: Seasonal ORV route open until April 15, 2021

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-South: Seasonal ORV route open until April 15, 2021

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

Ramp 25 (Priority Ramp)
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions. Soft sand and deep ruts at ramp entrance.

-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions. Soft sand and deep ruts at ramp entrance.

Ramp 27 (Priority Ramp)
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions

-South: Pedestrian only access

Ramp 30
-North: Pedestrian only access
-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Soft sand and deep ruts along the route

Ramp 32
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions. Soft sand and deep ruts along the route.

-South: Open to ORVs until the vehicle free boundary

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions. Soft sand and deep ruts along the route.

Ramp 34
-North: Seasonal ORV route open until April 15, 2021

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-South: Seasonal ORV route open until April 15, 2021

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

Ramp 38
-North: Seasonal ORV route open until April 15, 2021

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-South: Open to ORVs for 1.5 miles

• Hours: ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access) for 1.5 miles
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions

Ramp 43 (Priority Ramp)
-North: Open to ORVs until the vehicle free boundary

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Soft sand and deep ruts along the route

-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions. Soft sand along route.

Ramp 44 (Priority Ramp)
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions. Soft sand along route.

-South: Open to ORVs. Cape Point fully reopened on July 20, 2020. The short ORV route west of the hook is currently not accessible due to beach erosion.

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

Inside Road
-Open

• Hours: Inside Road is available for ORV use 24 hours a day.
• Conditions: Large puddles between Ramp 44 and South Beach Road

South Beach Road (Old Ramp 45)

-East: Open to pedestrians
-West: Open to pedestrians

Ramp 48 (Priority Ramp)
-East: Open to ORVs until the vehicle free boundary

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-West: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

Ramp 49 (Priority Ramp)
-East: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-West: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

Ramp 55
-East: Seasonal ORV route open until April 15, 2021

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-West: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions. If you want to cut through to Pole Road, pay close attention to signs.

Pole Road
-Open to ORVs

• Hours: Pole Road is open for ORV use 24 hours a day. From 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., only cross over the ocean-facing beach using designated routes. From 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., the ocean-facing beach is closed to ORVs.

 

Ocracoke Island

Ramp 59
-North: Pedestrian access only
-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access) for 4.1 miles (ST)
• Conditions: Beach route may be impassable during high tide conditions

Ramp 63
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Ramp is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ORV route is currently closed for night driving (24/7 access).

-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Ramp is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ORV route is currently closed for night driving (24/7 access).

Ramp 67
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

Ramp 68
-North: Seasonal ORV route open until April 15, 2021

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-South: Pedestrian access only

Ramp 70 (Priority Ramp)
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

Ramp 72 (Priority Ramp)
-North: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

-South: Open to ORVs

• Hours: Entire ORV route is open for night driving (24/7 access)

 

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ORV: Off-Road Vehicle; AO: American Oystercatcher; CW: Colonial Waterbird; PP: Piping Plover; ST: Sea Turtle; WP: Wilson's Plover

Pedestrians have access to all ORV areas, unless otherwise noted

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Mileage Summary

Last Updated: October 15 at 11:53 a.m.

The mileage summary is updated weekly from the middle of April through the end of sea turtle nesting season.

	Total	Current	% Open
Bodie Island	5.90	5.90	100%
Vehicle Free Areas	2.00	2.00	100%
ORV Areas	3.90	3.90	100%
Temporary Resource Closures		0.00
Hatteras Island	43.80	43.80	100%
Vehicle Free Areas	14.10	14.10	100%
ORV Areas	29.70	29.70	100%
Temporary Resource Closures		0.00
Ocracoke Island	17.00	17.00	100%
Vehicle Free Areas	6.20	6.20	100%
ORV Areas	10.80	10.80	100%
Temporary Resource Closures		0.00
Seashore Mileage Totals
Vehicle Free Areas	22.30	22.30	100%
ORV Areas	44.40	44.40	100%
Temporary Closures		0.00

 

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