Sunrise Point Ramp 72

Ramp 72 is one of the numbered beach access points that thread through the undeveloped, National Park Service-managed stretch of Ocracoke north of the village, reached by driving up NC-12 until you spot the ramp marker along the dune line. Like the rest of the numbered ramps in this section of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, it's an unimproved cut through the dunes rather than a developed beach park, with no lifeguards, restrooms, or concessions, just sand, surf, and open sky. Vehicles need a valid NPS beach-driving permit to use the ramp itself, but foot traffic is free and unrestricted.

Because Ocracoke's beach faces the open Atlantic to the east, ramps like this one draw early risers watching the sun come up over the water, along with surf anglers working the same stretch at dawn and dusk. The beach beyond the ramp is wide and largely undeveloped in both directions, so expect a quiet, self-sufficient outing: pack out what you bring in, and check current NPS driving and shorebird-closure conditions before you head down.