Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Lots of recreation opportunities await visits on the sound side of the barrier islands.
The sound of ocean waves, the starry night sky, or the calm of the salt marshes, you can experience it all. Shaped by the forces of water, wind, and storms these islands are ever changing. The plants, wildlife, and people who live here adapt continually. Whether you are enjoying the beach, kayaking the sound, or climbing the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse there is something for everyone to explore!
Map showing location of park.
OBX Storm updates
Cape Hatteras NS, Fort Raleigh NHS and Wright Brothers NMEM Announce Visitor Facility Closures Ahead of Winter Storm
Ahead of an impending winter storm, all National Park Service visitor facilities at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial will be closed this weekend and will remain closed through at least the morning of Feb. 2. The Oregon Inlet and Ocracoke campgrounds are closing at 12 p.m. today.
Image of a red truck carrying a blue and white kayak.
National Park Service Provides Updates on Missing Person
The National Park Service continues to seek information from the public to assist in locating Christopher Lee Palmer, 39, who was officially declared a missing person by Arkansas authorities on Jan. 16.
Photo of a bearded man with a blue winter hat, red jacket and kneeling next to a German shepherd dog.
National Park Service Seeks Public’s Help to Locate Missing Person
The National Park Service is seeking information from the public to assist in locating Chris Palmer, 39, who has been reported missing. Palmer is described as Caucasian, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, with blue eyes and strawberry-blond hair. He was last in contact with family members on Jan. 9, 2026.
Photo of a collapsed house on the beach near the ocean.
Unoccupied house collapses in Rodanthe
Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) was notified shortly before 6 p.m. that an unoccupied house collapsed at 23047 G.A. Kohler Court in Rodanthe, North Carolina. Seashore staff are responding to the collapse and plan to begin initial cleanup efforts tomorrow, Oct. 4.
Wooden debris with nails sticking out of them on the beach.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore to begin cleanup efforts associated with recent house collapses
Cape Hatteras National Seashore will deploy about two dozen staff to Buxton tomorrow, Oct. 3, to contribute to the significant cleanup efforts associated with recent house collapses in Buxton.
The first-order Fresnel lens is visible in the lantern room of the Bodie Island Lighthouse.
Photo by NPS Photo
A young girl paddles across the water with the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse visible in the distance.
Photo by NPS Photo
Black and white painting of the brick Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
Photo by NPS Photo
Two kids play in the sand.
Photo by NPS Photo