
The Bodie Island Visitor Center is located in the north, adjacent to the Bodie Island Lighthouse, which is open for tours seasonally. The visitor centers offer information about the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, ranger programs, and a bookstore. There are three visitor centers, each located on a barrier island. Rodanthe has one of the highest rates of beach erosion on the Outer Banks. potential natural vegetation types, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina would have a dominant vegetation type of Live oak/Sea Oats Uniola paniculata ( 90) with a dominant vegetation form of Coastal Prairie ( 20). It is headquartered at Fort Raleigh.Īccording to the A. The park was officially established as the first national seashore on January 12, 1953, and dedicated on April 24, 1958, and is currently co-managed with two other Outer Banks parks, Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island. The name change was done to accommodate hunting interests, which at that time was a unique allowance for a National Park Service managed entity. Congress to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. On June 29, 1940, the name of the park was changed by the U.S. The funds to purchase much of the land for Cape Hatteras National Seashore were donated by multi-millionaire philanthropist Paul Mellon. The park's fishing and surfing are considered the best on the East Coast.Īdministrative history Cape Hatteras National Seashore welcome signĬape Hatteras National Seashore was authorized by Congress on August 17, 1937. The islands also provide a variety of habitats and are a valuable wintering area for migrating waterfowl. Once dubbed the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" for its treacherous currents, shoals, and storms, Cape Hatteras has a wealth of history relating to shipwrecks, lighthouses, and the US Lifesaving Service. Cape Hatteras is a combination of natural and cultural resources, and provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities.
12, but outside the national seashore boundaries, are Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and several communities, such as Rodanthe, Buxton, and Ocracoke. Included within this section of barrier islands along N.C.
Outer Banks, Dare County & Hyde County, North Carolina, USAģ5☁8′13″N 75☃0′41″W / 35.30361°N 75.51139°W / 35.30361 -75.51139Ĭape Hatteras National Seashore is a United States national seashore which preserves the portion of the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island, stretching over 70 miles (110 km), and is managed by the National Park Service.