Ramp 4

Best Time to Visit Ramp 4

Ramp 4, like every ramp along Cape Hatteras National Seashore, can close on short notice. Storm overwash and standing water can make the ramp or the beach beyond it impassable, and seasonal closures go into effect to protect nesting shorebirds and sea turtles during parts of the year. Check the NPS's beach access status page before making the drive out to Ramp 4 rather than assuming it's open.

Tips for Visiting Ramp 4

• Purchase the required NPS off-road vehicle permit through Recreation.gov before you arrive — you can choose an annual permit or a shorter permit valid for 10 days, depending on how often you'll be driving the beach.
• Confirm your vehicle is street-legal, licensed, and insured before heading to the ramp — vehicles that don't meet these requirements aren't allowed onto the beach.
• Carry your driver's license and vehicle registration with you when you drive through Ramp 4; both are required along with the ORV permit.

Getting to Ramp 4

Ramp 4 sits at the southern end of Bodie Island, directly across from Oregon Inlet Marina and right next to Oregon Inlet Campground. It's also positioned close to the Oregon Inlet bridge, the crossing that carries traffic from Bodie Island onto Hatteras Island. Anyone staying at the campground or near the marina will find Ramp 4 close by, with the bridge crossing onto Hatteras Island nearby as well.

What to Expect at Ramp 4

Ramp 4 is the second of Bodie Island's two numbered off-road vehicle access points, part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore's beach-access system. It also sits at the southern end of Bodie Island. This is a beach-access point rather than a hiking trail: there's no marked path, mileage, or elevation gain here, just a ramp leading from the road onto the open beach.

Access works differently depending on how you're arriving. Driving onto the beach through Ramp 4 requires an NPS off-road vehicle permit. Walking doesn't: pedestrians can head out through the ramp onto the beach without needing any permit at all.