South Core Banks

When visiting South Core Banks, the Cape Lookout Light Station is a great place to stop.

NPS/S.Godin

Quick Facts

Location:

Latitude: 34° 36' 11.39" N Longitude: -76° 32' 5.99" W

Designation:

National Seashore

Amenities

17 listed

Beach/Water Access, Ferry - Passenger, Ferry - Vehicle, Fuel (Unleaded), Ice, Information, Junior Ranger Booklet Available, Pets Allowed, Primitive Campsites, Restroom - Seasonal, Shelter/Cabin, Showers, Toilet - Flush, Toilet - Vault/Composting, Water - Bottle-Filling Station, Water - Drinking/Potable, Wheelchairs Available

No lifeguard on duty. 

Cape Lookout National Seashore consists of three-barrier islands, South Core, North Core and Shackelford Banks, along the coast of North Carolina. South Core Banks stretches about 21 miles from Cape Point to Ophelia Inlet. The islands run northeast to southwest. The west side of the island faces Core Sound, and the east side faces the Atlantic Ocean.

South Core Banks is only acessible by boat. Visitors have the option to utilize a passenger ferry from Harkers Island Visitor Center or a vehicle ferry from Davis, NC. Beach driving is open from mid-March to December. If visitors bring their own vehicle, they must purchase an Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) permit from Recreation.gov. There are no pavement roads on South Core Banks. All-Wheel Drive and 4 Wheel Drive are highly recommended for driving on the beach. 

Many visitors come to South Core Banks to go shelling. Visitors are allowed to collect a 5-gallon bucket full of shells per day they are on the island. However, it is recommended that visitors check for live organisms within collected shells. Pinecones are also allowed to be collected from the seashore. Marine mammals bones and archeological artifacts are not allowed to be collected from the seashore. 

South Core Banks does a few amenties for visitors. Restrooms, public showers, and drinking water available seasonally. During the summer months, drinking water is available at the restrooms near the lighthouse and from a spigot on the back road near the boardwalk to the beach. At the cabin camps, drinking water is available in the public restrooms.These sources of water are turned off during the coldest part of the winter to prevent damage to pipes due to freezing. Dump stations for vehicle campers are in the Great Island and near the point of the Cape. There are no Recreational Vehicle (RV) hookups available within the park. In addition, there are no designated campsites on South Core Banks. All camping is primative, backcountry camping. 

Visitors must take all their trash out of the park when they leave. Do not bury any trash as the sand is constantly moving and buried trash re-surfaces quickly. For more information on the Trash Free Park program, visit the Leave No Trace page

Pets are allowed on the seashore. However, they must be on a 6 foot leash at all times.