Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

No, the climb is currently closed. A cast-iron bracket issue found during restoration work shut down climbing, and the closure is expected to last through at least the end of 2026, so check the official National Park Service (NPS) site before you visit if climbing was part of your plan.

Yes. The grounds, the double keepers' quarters, and the small on-site exhibits all remain open, and the lighthouse's black-and-white spiral stripes are worth seeing up close even without climbing to the top.

The lighthouse sits along NC-12 on Hatteras Island, between Avon and Hatteras village, inside Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Hours and admission fees vary seasonally, so check the official National Park Service Cape Hatteras Lighthouse page for current details before you go.

Yes. The lighthouse is reached via NC-12, the only road through Hatteras Island, which can close briefly after storms due to ocean overwash, so it's worth checking road conditions if you're visiting during hurricane season, roughly June through November.

In 1999, the National Park Service relocated the entire lighthouse nearly half a mile inland to keep it ahead of an eroding shoreline, in one of the largest building-move engineering projects ever undertaken in the US.