Ramp 48

A numbered ORV ramp near Frisco Campground leading onto Hatteras Island's Gulf Stream-facing South Beach

(0)

Buxton, NC

About

Ramp 48 is one of the National Park Service's numbered off-road vehicle access points along Cape Hatteras National Seashore, reached via Inside Road just off Ramp 49 near Frisco Campground — placing it in Frisco, on the stretch of Hatteras Island between Buxton and Hatteras village. It's a straightforward access point rather than a formal trailhead: a sand parking area leads a short distance onto the beach, putting vehicles and walkers onto South Beach, the stretch of shoreline where the Gulf Stream runs closest to Hatteras Island's coast.

An NPS off-road vehicle permit is required to drive onto the beach here, purchased through Recreation.gov — $120 for an annual permit, $50 for 10 days.
Vehicles must be street-legal, licensed, and insured, with the driver carrying a valid license and registration.
Pedestrians can walk out through the ramp without a permit.

Like every ramp along this seashore, Ramp 48 is subject to closure for storm overwash, standing water, or seasonal shorebird and sea turtle nesting protections, so it's worth checking the NPS's beach access status page before making the drive. There's little to set Ramp 48 apart from its neighboring ramps beyond its exact position on the shoreline — the draw here is the open, Gulf Stream-facing beach, not the ramp itself.

Best Time to Visit Ramp 48

Like every ramp along Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Ramp 48 is subject to closure for storm overwash, standing water, or seasonal shorebird and sea turtle nesting protections. It's worth checking the National Park Service's beach access status page before making the drive out, especially during nesting season or in the wake of a storm. The listing's own information doesn't specify a fixed seasonal access window for this particular ramp, so confirming current conditions directly with the NPS is the most reliable way to know whether the beach is open before heading to Frisco.

Ramp 48 Access Tips

An NPS off-road vehicle permit is required to drive onto the beach at Ramp 48, purchased through Recreation.gov.
Pedestrians can walk out through the ramp onto South Beach without needing a permit.
Any vehicle driven onto the beach must be street-legal, licensed, and insured.
Drivers should carry a valid license and registration when using the ramp.

Getting to Ramp 48

Ramp 48 sits in Frisco, on the stretch of Hatteras Island between Buxton and Hatteras village, within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It's reached via Inside Road, just off Ramp 49, near Frisco Campground — Ramp 49 makes a useful landmark for finding the turnoff. The ramp itself is simply a sand parking area that opens onto South Beach a short distance away.

What to Expect at Ramp 48

Ramp 48 is one of Cape Hatteras National Seashore's numbered off-road vehicle access points, and it's best understood as a straightforward access point rather than a formal trailhead. A sand parking area leads a short distance onto the beach, putting vehicles and walkers onto South Beach, the stretch of Hatteras Island shoreline where the Gulf Stream runs closest to the coast. There's no marked trail, mileage, or elevation gain here — the draw is the open, Gulf Stream-facing beach itself, not the short walk out to it. Beyond its exact position on the shoreline in Frisco, Ramp 48 has little to set it apart from Cape Hatteras National Seashore's other numbered ramps.

Reviews

See all on Google

No reviews yet for this listing.