Lighthouses of North Carolina / OBX

Ocracoke Island Lighthouse

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

One of the visual treats of visiting the N.C. OBX is viewing the storied lighthouses that guard this tricky stretch of coastline. Mostly a ribbon of sandy spits, any visitor with on-the-water navigational experience can see that much of the area is shallow, with only a few well-marked channels that are safe for boat traffic. At night the lighthouses warn of larger obstacles, and by day they reward visitors with a  real life history lesson, and even a chance to climb their stairs. Driving to the Outer Banks involves running down hundreds of miles of highway, and THEN the OBX offers about 200-miles more to tour the lighthouses as I did from Ocracoke Island to Corolla - Whew! There is lots of unspoiled beachfront coastline along the way with plenty of bird life and maritime habitat too. Still it's the marine focus of the OBX that makes the lighthouse culture so important to this area. I viewed Ocracoke lighthouse, Cape Hatteras lighthouse, Bodie Island lighthouse and Currituck lightouse. The current Ocracoke lighthouse was built in 1832 and is the second-oldest lighthouse in the nation. The non-rotating light is 75-feet above sea level and can be seen 14 miles away, and is owned and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Cape Hatteras lighthouse was established in 1870, and is the tallest lighthouse in the U.S. and can be seen from 20 miles away. This lighthouse was famously moved back from the shoreline in 1989, and is open to the public today offering 268-steps to the top for a panoramic view of the OBX. The Bodie Island lighthouse was built in 1872 and is located nearer to Roanoke Sound than front beach and is in close proximity to Oregon Inlet. The Curritcuk lighthouse went into service in 1875, and offers 214 steps for the public to climb overlooking the northern OBX coastline.

Ferry ride lighthouse mural 

Currituck Lighthouse

To view past blog entries from the Outer Banks of N.C. click here.

Bodie Island Lighthouse