Update Status of Visitor Services at Outer Banks Group National Parks

Wednesday, October 7, 2015 - 10:47 Press Release

Although the Coastal Flood warnings are suspended for Cape Hatteras National Seashore, many areas are still recovering from significant impacts from coastal erosion, ocean over-wash, and flooding from substantial rainfall over the past few days.

Tidal levels remain high in some areas but strong winds have subsided. Some park areas, particularly Off-Road Vehicle access ramps and routes, remain heavily impacted from flooding. Park staff are actively assessing and evaluating facilities and public areas and re-opening visitor services as soon as possible. Access to Ocracoke Island remains closed to visitors today; ferry service to and from the island is suspended for today.

Wright Brothers National Memorial, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site are open and all visitor services are available. At Cape Hatteras National Seashore, most Bodie Island visitor services are now open, including Oregon Inlet Campground and the www.recreation.gov system is reactivated for this campground, the Bodie Island ORV Permit office, the Oregon Inlet public boats ramps, Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, and the Bodie Island Lighthouse and visitor center. ORV Ramp 4 remains closed but staff are working to improve the conditions of the ramp for reopening soon.

The following Hatteras and Ocracoke Island visitor facilities and services remain impacted by storm conditions and will remain closed on Wednesday, October 7, 2015:

Ocracoke, Frisco, and Cape Point remain closed until further notice. The www.recreation.gov campground reservation system has been temporarily suspended.
Ocracoke Island remains in a State of Emergency. At the time of this press release (Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.), all ferry service remains suspended to the island but initial reopening is anticipated by Thursday, October 8, 2015 for residents and vendors only.
Silver Lake Marina on Ocracoke Island remains closed.
NPS visitor centers at Ocracoke and Hatteras Island remain closed until further notice.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouses remains closed to climbing. Lighthouse Road leading to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton Village is closed due to flooding.
Off-Road Vehicle ramps in the Seashore have begun to reopen as conditions allow. On Ocracoke Island, Ramp 70 and Ramp 67 are open. Ramps 59, 68, 72 remain closed. On Hatteras Island, all Ramps experienced significant flooding from ocean overwash and/or standing water from excessive rainfall levels in the area and all Hatteras Island ORV ramps and routes are currently closed but will be reopened as soon as it is safe to do so and the adjacent beaches in those areas have been assessed for ORV use.
The Ocracoke and Buxton Off-Road Vehicle Permit offices remain closed today.

Several day-use areas on Bodie and Hatteras Island are open for public use and pedestrian access to the beach. Restroom facilities at some sites may not be unavailable. Day use areas that are open are Coquina, Salvo, Haulover, Frisco, and Sandy Bay.

The National Park Service continues to evaluate weather conditions and will be monitoring ongoing weather developments. For more information, listen to NOAA weather radio and local radio and media for updates and advisories. Travelers should check highway and road conditions on the NCDOT website at http://tims.ncdot.gov/tims and www.ncdot.gov/ferry or www.weather.gov/mhx .