Cape Woods Campgrounds and Cabins

Cape Woods Campgrounds and Cabins sits on Buxton Back Rd, tucked into the woods a bit off NC-12 rather than sitting oceanfront, with both tent and RV campsites plus cabin rentals for anyone who'd rather not pitch a tent. Buxton is home to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse — the tallest brick lighthouse in the country, moved inland in 1999 due to erosion — though it's currently closed for climbing while the Park Service addresses a cast-iron bracket issue found during restoration. The campground puts you a short drive from the lighthouse grounds, the beach, and several of the National Seashore's numbered ORV ramps for travelers with a beach-driving permit.

Getting Around

Avon and Hatteras village are both reachable via NC-12 without much backtracking, and Hatteras village is the departure point for the free ferry to Ocracoke Island. NC-12 is the single road connecting all of Hatteras Island's villages, and it closes during storms with some regularity — worth a quick check of conditions before a trip, particularly during hurricane season (June through November, with August through October the higher-risk stretch).