Camping on the OBX

[Coastal_Wandere]

Planing a trip down the outer banks with a stop off in Ocracoke and a final destination in Carolina Beach for a few days of beach camping. I am looking for some suggestions of campgrounds along route 12 and and must see or do things along the way.

Thank you

[CloudDriver]

We did a 2 week trip to the OBX back in late April/early May this year. We used the NPS campgrounds at Oregon Inlet, Frisco and Ocracoke, except for one night at Cape Woods campground in Buxton for a FHU site to dump tanks and refill water.

Sites at Ocracoke are closer to the water than either Frisco or Oregon Inlet. No problem getting sites without reservations when we were there. Ocracoke was less then 1/4 full. We had our bicycles with us and used them for exploring the town of Ocracoke. We enjoyed the short hike of the Springer's Point trail. Also enjoyed watching the Pelicans while having lunch at the Jolly Roger.

We did a day trip from Oregon Inlet to the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. They have a nice new Visitor Center in Manteo. In the refuge itself, we did the Wildlife Drive in the RV to the trail head for the Sandy Ridge Wildlife Trail, then hiked the trail.

I can confirm that Bodie Island Lighthouse has been opened for climbs.

[NCWriter]

We stayed at Ocean Waves and enjoyed it, at Waves NC. Right behind the dunes.
Clicky for Ocean Waves

Also had fun dry camping at the NPS Ocracoke campground, again built just behind the dunes. When we were there in 2011, you could reserve, but not site specific...you picked your site and advised the entry ranger. May still be that way.

A real highlight for me was seeing lighthouses. Bodie Island has reopened for climbs, I think. Met the elderly son of the last light keeper there - he sometimes volunteers for the NPS at the little museum. Hatteras is beautiful. Ocracoke lighthouse is not open for visiting but you can park at the tiny lot and take pics.

I also liked the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum on Hatteras near the ferry to Ocracoke. German cipher machine brought up by divers from a sub wreck, other interesting stuff.

On Ocracoke, the village is great for exploring on foot. There's an English Cemetery there, sailors lost during WWII.

If you enjoy researching before trips, a Web site - the.lostlight.com - has some great books about the region by NC writer Kevin P. Duffus.
Kevin Duffus site

I heard him speak at our library annual meeting about the war off the NC coast and it was fascinating.

Added with edit: Kevin Duffus has a great soft cover book about the shipwrecks off the beach; we actually saw old ship's timbers visible in the shifting sand on the beach just across the road from Bodie Island Lighthouse. The state has marked some of these old wreck remnants.