I have a question for those who have been to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.My wife and I are staying at an inn on the Outer Banks for 5 nights the first week of April. This is our first trip to the Outer Banks, and I have always heard a major attraction to the area is simply driving on the beach. What I am curious about is how many miles of beach can you actually drive on? The reason I am asking is because we are traveling from Michigan and I know that in order to drive on the beach we will need to take our Silverado because we will need 4 wheel drive, rather than taking our Cruze which gets over twice the fuel milage, but obviously won't be able to drive it on the beach.Personally, on longer trips I prefer the comfort and size of the truck, but economically the Cruze makes more since as we will not be taking the camper. I like the prospect of driving the beach if there are a number of miles of beach to drive on and see the sites, but if there is only a miles here or there to drive on it would make more since to drive the car and walk the beach. What do the experts have to say? How many miles can you actually drive on?Thanks, Mike

I'm no expert, but the times I've been there, you can't drive just anywhere on the beach. There are specific areas where it is allowed, but most places it is verboten. Where are you going to be? "The Outer Banks" is a large place.

We will be staying in Pamlico Sound. I know the entire beach doesn't allow driving, but am curious if there are enough driveable miles to warrant taking the truck.Thanks, Mike

They have several places that rent jeeps.

From the Virginia state line in the north to the southern tip of Ocracoke Island there is nearly a hundred miles of beach accessible by four wheel drive. The northern section extends roughly ten miles from Corolla to a locked gate barring entry into Virginia. No special permits are needed and you are likely to see the banker ponies in this area. Drive with care as stumps from a relic forest are sometimes exposed along the beach.The southern section is under the control of Cape Hatteras National Seashore and runs intermittently from Oregon Inlet to the ferry landing at Hatteras with breaks for Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and a few small village scattered along Hwy 12. The Seashore extends over to Ocracoke Island where another twenty miles or so of beach driving is available. You will need a permit from the NPS ($50 I think, good for a week) for any offroad driving on federal lands. Its likely some areas will be closed for turtle or bird nesting.Hope you enjoy your visit with us and let me know if you have more questions.

Great information, huachuca! That is exactly what I was looking for. I have been doing a lot of reading regarding the rules and regulations and permits of beach driving, but hardly anything about the distances.

Driving on beach in outer banks | Good Sam Community

kohldad
Explorer III
Feb 21, 2017
IMO, 5 nights at the beach doesn't justify driving the truck from Michigan. You will have more than enough to keep you busy that you won't have time to twiddle your thumbs and wish you had the truck.

If you do take the truck, make sure you take a compressor to air the tires back up. Not all locations have pumps to air them up.
huachuca
Explorer
Feb 21, 2017
Your truck will be fine. As mentioned by others, just drop the air pressure to around 16 psi BEFORE hitting the beach. Most of the vehicles you'll see out there are much less off-road capable than a 3/4 ton 4WD Silverado.

Whether taking the truck is worth the extra cost and inconvenience is something only you can decide. The OBX weather in early April can be a bit of a gamble. Having the option of driving out on the beach to watch a sunrise even if its windy and cold would make it worthwhile to me.

Check your PM for other suggestions.

Al
wbwood
Explorer
Feb 22, 2017
Here's some footage of the beach. This is at Oregon Inlet. There's vehicle access to the beach next to the campground.
garmp
Explorer II
Feb 23, 2017
wbwood wrote:
Here's some footage of the beach. This is at Oregon Inlet. There's vehicle access to the beach next to the campground.

Which campground?
PawPaw_n_Gram
Explorer
Feb 23, 2017
Probably Oregon Inlet

I don't think there is a commercial FHU CG within 5 or 8 miles of there.
Oldtymeflyr
Explorer
Feb 24, 2017
Look at the regulations where you are going to be, there are more than a few requirements. Oh, you will have to get a permit, pay for the same.

Our conclusion after a few trips to the Outbanks is to walk on the beach.
Shadow57
Explorer
Feb 24, 2017
We went 2 years ago and you couldn't rent jeeps to ride on the beach anymore. I wouldn't let my husband drive our Dodge Nitro thought we would get stuck. We saw so many jeeps while there we actually came home and bought one, and I think you can rent them from rental car places in town.

Since we now have a motor home we would love to find somewhere to camp and take side by sides to ride on the beach. However if I remember correct you can ride them on the beach if you live in NC but you can't bring them in from other states. Does anyone know of anywhere in the area you can camp and ride on the beach? If you live in another state.
Hobo2
Explorer
Feb 24, 2017
Had a place on Hatteras island for 13 years. Tire pressure is the key to getting around. We kept our tires right at 15 lbs. At all times. We sold that place 5 years ago. It's just gotten to crowded in the summer.
wbwood
Explorer
Feb 24, 2017
garmp1 wrote:
wbwood wrote:
Here's some footage of the beach. This is at Oregon Inlet. There's vehicle access to the beach next to the campground.

Which campground?

Oregon Inlet Campground
huachuca
Explorer
Feb 24, 2017
Shadow57 wrote:
We went 2 years ago and you couldn't rent jeeps to ride on the beach anymore. I wouldn't let my husband drive our Dodge Nitro thought we would get stuck. We saw so many jeeps while there we actually came home and bought one, and I think you can rent them from rental car places in town.

Since we now have a motor home we would love to find somewhere to camp and take side by sides to ride on the beach. However if I remember correct you can ride them on the beach if you live in NC but you can't bring them in from other states. Does anyone know of anywhere in the area you can camp and ride on the beach? If you live in another state.

Like many small businesses on the Outer Banks, the 4WD rental places seem to come and go. I'm not familiar with what's available at the northern end but these folks are in Salvo and have been around for some time Island Cruisers

There aren't any restrictions for out of state vehicles nor does a NC registration carry any weight for beach access. ATV's, UTV's and motorcycles are not allowed on any Cape Hatteras NS beaches per Park Service regs.

The beach driving rules at Cape Lookout National Seashore are much less restrictive. Currently, ATV's and UTV's are allowed. Access is by private ferry only. There are no roads so your class "A" would be out but you can take your jeep or ATV/UTV over and have twenty miles of uninhabited island to play on. Tent camping is allowed in most places or the Park Service has cabins with showers, flush johns and bunk beds at very reasonable rates. Our preference is the Portsmouth Island section.

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