Ramp 34 Pedestrian Access

Best Time to Visit Ramp 34 Pedestrian Access

When you can drive onto the beach at Ramp 34 depends on the calendar. The ORV ramp is open for vehicle use from October 15 through April 14, matching the rest of Hatteras Island, where Cape Hatteras National Seashore permits 4x4 beach driving through the winter months — a contrast to beaches further north on the Outer Banks, where vehicles aren't allowed on the sand at all. Once spring nesting season begins on April 15, the ORV ramp closes for the year and Ramp 34 shifts back to foot traffic only via the boardwalk, staying that way until the following October. If vehicle access matters to your trip, plan for the cooler months between mid-October and mid-April.

Tips for Visiting Ramp 34 Pedestrian Access

• Plan around the roughly 350-yard walk from the parking area to the water — pack in whatever you plan to bring, since there's no vehicle drop right at the sand unless you're in a permitted ORV using the seasonal ramp.
• No permit is needed to use the boardwalk — the NPS off-road vehicle permit requirement only applies if you're driving onto the sand via the ORV ramp.

Getting to Ramp 34 Pedestrian Access

Ramp 34 sits in front of Avon on Hatteras Island. From the parking area, it's about a 350-yard walk to the water. Which entrance you use depends on how you're arriving: those on foot take the boardwalk, while permitted off-road vehicles use the separate ORV ramp alongside it to drive down onto the sand. Both routes lead to the same stretch of beach in front of Avon, so no matter which one you take, you'll end up on the same shoreline.

What to Expect at Ramp 34 Pedestrian Access

Ramp 34 is a beach-access point in front of Avon on Hatteras Island with two separate ways onto the sand: a pedestrian boardwalk and, alongside it, a numbered off-road vehicle ramp. The boardwalk is open to foot traffic year-round and doesn't require a permit, making it the dependable option no matter when you show up. The ORV ramp works differently — it's only open for vehicle use during a set seasonal window, and driving onto the sand requires an NPS off-road vehicle permit. Outside that window, the ramp is closed to vehicles and Ramp 34 becomes boardwalk-only. Whichever way you're coming in, know in advance which of the two applies to your trip, since the boardwalk and the ORV ramp are governed by different rules.