Home › North Carolina › South Core Banks -- Beach camping
South Core Banks -- Beach camping
NPSNational Park Service — Great Island · North Carolina · Cape Lookout National Seashore
| Agency | NPSNational Park Service |
|---|---|
| Area | Cape Lookout National Seashore |
| Location | Great Island · North Carolina · Cape Lookout National Seashore · 34.76056, -76.41222 · Map |
| Sites | Not reported — the federal listing names no individual sites for this campground |
| Getting a site | First-come, first-served only — this campground takes no reservations. |
| Hookups | Not reported in the federal data |
| Max RV length | Not reported in the federal data |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Not reported — the federal listing carries no fee description for this campground. |
| Accessibility | No |
| Phone | (252) 728-2250 |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-02-25.
From the official listing
Dispersed camping along the ocean beach of this 20 mile long barrier island -- this is backcountry-style camping -- all camping is done directly on the ocean beach, there are no camp sites. This area is reached only by ferry. Both tent camping and vehicle camping is allowed. Vehicles -- 4x4 highly recommended -- must be able to drive on the soft sand of the beach and the sand trail behind the dunes known as the "back road". There are no hard surfaces on the island. Practice Leave No Trace principles.
Directions, from the listing
Take a ferry from Davis, NC over to Great Island on South Core Banks. The barrier islands of Cape Lookout National Seashore may only be reached by boat -- either your own boat or a ferry from the mainland.
Nearest federal campgrounds
0 mi straight-line · Harkers Island North CarolinaNPSNational Park ServiceNorth Core Banks - Beach Camping
13 mi straight-line · North CarolinaNPSNational Park ServiceLong Point Cabin Camp
13 mi straight-line · Harkers Island North CarolinaFSU.S. Forest ServiceOyster Point Campground
20 mi straight-line · New Port North CarolinaFSU.S. Forest ServiceFlanners Beach Campground
34 mi straight-line · New Bern North Carolina
Trip Card — South Core Banks -- Beach camping
Great Island · North Carolina · Cape Lookout National Seashore
| Agency | NPS · National Park Service |
|---|---|
| Location | Great Island · North Carolina · Cape Lookout National Seashore |
| Fees | Not reported in the federal data |
| Getting a site | First-come only |
| Hookups | Not reported |
| Max RV | Not reported |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | Not reported |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10121051 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.