Ocracoke Campground

Tent and RV camping behind the dune, run by the National Park Service

(536)

Ocracoke, NC

About

Ocracoke Campground is the National Park Service's oceanside campground on Ocracoke Island, tucked behind the dune line within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It's a straightforward, no-frills base for anyone who wants to fall asleep to the surf and walk to the beach in the morning instead of driving to it.

Camping Here

Sites take tents and RVs; there are no water, electric, or sewer hookups
Restrooms with cold-water showers are provided on site
The campground runs on a seasonal schedule, so confirm dates before planning a trip outside summer

Getting to Ocracoke Island

There's no bridge or road connecting Ocracoke to the mainland — you arrive by ferry or private plane. The free NC ferry from Hatteras village takes about an hour; the toll ferries from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter run closer to 2.25 hours each way. Reserve your ferry slot and your campsite separately, and build the crossing into your travel time.

Because the island has no road-based evacuation route, hurricane season — June through November, with the sharpest risk in August through October — can bring mandatory evacuations and ferry suspensions on short notice, so it's worth checking conditions before a late-summer or fall trip.

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4.6

536 reviews

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Doug Sawan

in the last week

We have been coming to Ocracoke off and on for 30 years. We love this place and like Stephan in Braveheart we call this place our ‘island’, enjoying the amenities the village has to offer. In our retirement, we purchased a camper and with friends, we now come and stay in the NPS Campground and have seen the island in a whole new light. It is the only way to see this place of natural beauty. No development is allowed outside the village limits and the campground offers you the basic amenities of fresh water, cold showers and a dump station. To offset that, you have a fabulous access to the beaches and a more intimate relationship with the indigenous wildlife that share their island with you, something you cannot really experience if you stay in town. If you have a generator, it may be used in some sections of the campground. If you like to rough it, those sections are available also. Getting what you need from the village’s local store is a quick drive or a simple bike ride away. This place is not for everyone. However, if you have a boon docking capable camper or are adept at tent camping, this place is the only way to go.

in the last week

a week ago

3 weeks ago

4 weeks ago

Tough one, the park is harder to get to because of the ferry. Basic national park, wide open field, cold showers. But the ocean is right there, with great beach, the town is small and quaint, its quiet. We camped here and Hatteras if you want beach this is the one by far.