Summary
Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, including fishing, swimming, surfing, hiking, and exploring historic sites.
One of the top reasons to visit Cape Hatteras National Seashore is to see the iconic lighthouse that stands 198 feet tall and is the tallest brick lighthouse in America. Visitors can climb to the top for stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounding area.
Other points of interest include the Bodie Island Visitor Center, where visitors can learn about the history and ecology of the area, and the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to over 400 species of birds.
Interesting facts about the area include the fact that it is home to over 100 shipwrecks, including the famous USS Monitor, which sank during the Civil War. The area is also a popular spot for sea turtle nesting, with loggerhead and green sea turtles laying their eggs on the beaches each year.
The best time of year to visit Cape Hatteras National Seashore is in the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the crowds are smaller. Summer can be very crowded and hot, while winter can be chilly and windy.
Weather Forecast
Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References