Ramp 68 Ocracoke

Ramp 68 is one of the numbered beach access points cut through the dune line along NC-12 on Ocracoke Island, inside Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It's a functional entry point rather than a destination with amenities — a sand track down to open beach used by anglers, swimmers, and four-wheel-drive vehicles heading out onto the undeveloped shoreline north of the village.

• ORV (off-road vehicle) access requires a valid National Park Service beach driving permit
• No lifeguards, restrooms, or other facilities at the ramp
• Reached via NC-12, the only road through the undeveloped stretch of the island

Getting to Ocracoke in the first place takes some planning: there's no bridge or road connection, only the free NC ferry from Hatteras village (about an hour) or the longer toll ferries from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter on the mainland (roughly 2.25 hours each). Once you're on the island, ramps like this one are the actual point of contact with the beach — packed sand giving way to surf, no boardwalk or overlook involved. Because Ocracoke sits exposed and low-lying with no evacuation route besides those same ferries, ramp access can close on short notice during storms, especially in the August-to-October stretch of hurricane season, so it's worth checking current conditions with the National Seashore before you drive out.