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Great Island Cabin Camp is located on South Core Banks within beautiful Cape Lookout National Seashore just off the mainland of North Carolina. The historic camp has been a favorite of fisherman and beach goers for many years.
The camp can only be reached by boat, adding an element of both privacy and adventure. Visitors can travel by personal boats or reserve a spot on the vehicle ferry, which cruises across scenic Core Sound to South Core Banks and the Great Island Cabin Camp.
4WD, high clearance vehicles are strongly recommended due to deep sand on the Back Road and the oceanside beaches. There are NO paved roads on North or South Core Banks. An Off-Road Vehicle Driving Permit is required and must be purchased from Recreation.gov prior to arrival. Once you arrive on the island, show proof of payment for the Off-Road Vechicle Driving Permit to the park staff at the Great Island Cabin Camp Office or law enforcement Rangers/staff on North Core Banks, and they will issue you the corresponding decal for your vehicle.
The park's sandy beaches are a prime location for fishing, exploring, beachcombing/shelling, swimming, birding or simply relaxing. Spring and fall at Cape Lookout offer what many consider to be some of the best fishing on the Atlantic Coast. Kayaking is a popular activity at the park. With 112 miles of uninhabited shoreline ranging from docile sound to pounding surf, Cape Lookout National Seashore has become one of the premier paddling destinations on the Mid-Atlantic Coast.
Great Island Cabin Camp offers 23 rustic, wooden beachfront cabins with porches for individuals and families or small groups of up to 12 people. Cabins range in size from 288 to 960 sq ft., and Cabin 2 is accessible. All cabins are wired for generator use, needed to power electricity. Guests must provide their own generators, no larger than 5,500 watts or equipped with a GFI.
Each cabin contains bunk beds and mattresses, a private bath with sink and shower stall, a hot water heater, a table and chairs. Small kitchens are equipped with cabinets and a propane oven/stove. There are no refrigerators. A grill is just outside each cabin. Bathroom facilities with showers are also centrally located within the camp.
Campers must provide their own linens, bedding, cookware, food and food storage, coolers, first-aid supplies and anything else needed during their stay. Most campers also bring flashlights or lanterns. Ice and fuel are available at the camp office.
Cape Lookout National Seashore is a low, narrow ribbon of sand running from Ocracoke Inlet to Beaufort Inlet. At 56 miles long, these barrier islands consist mainly of bare beaches with low dunes covered by scattered grasses, flat grasslands bordered by dense vegetation and large expanses of salt marsh along the sound.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse, historic Cape Village
Please note: Customers who cancel a cabin reservation **less than 14 days prior** to the arrival date will pay a **$10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.** Refunds resulting from storm closures will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
From Morehead City, NC, take Highway 70 east approximately 22 miles, and you will arrive in Davis. Cape Lookout Cabin Camps and Ferry Service is located at 125 Grady Davis Lane and Davis Shore Ferry is located at 148 Willis Road. There are no paved roads once you reach South Core Banks. You will be driving on a sand road and on the sand of the oceanside beach. 4WD, high clearance vehicles are strongly recommended.
As usual, we had a wonderful trip! This was our first time staying in Cabin 11 and we loved it. We liked the open floor plan of this cabin. We usually stay in a cabin with separate room with three bunks. With the open floor plan you get a better breeze. There is also a fairly new fish cleaning station right around the corner and the ramp to beach is nearby but not too close to where the traffic is bothersome.
Amazing amazing amazing! Not easy to book or arrange with the ferry etc., but so worth it! One of the neatest adventures.
This was our first time staying at the cabins. We took the ferry and also rented a Kubota for the day from: Cape Lookout Cabins & Camps Ferry Service-South.
The ride over to the island is about 25ish minutes.
We checked in at the ranger station, the woman at the station is super friendly and gave the kids Junior ranger stickers.
We stayed at cabin 022 which was very close to cabin 021, so if you don’t want a “neighbor” these two cabins aren’t for you.
The cabin itself has a working shower, toilet, sink and propane stove by default, no generator is required for those amenities. There is no refrigerator.
We didn’t bring a generator, but if you want lights after dark or to power small appliances, you’ll need one. There are no pots or cookware, you have to bring everything you need, except toilet paper.
The cabin had a screened in porch which was really nice and it was very clean.
I highly recommend bringing a 4WD vehicle or renting a Kubota.
We were able to thoroughly explore the island, the kids loved all the “adventures” we went on driving the Kubota around.
You can easily drive to a secluded section of beach and see absolutely no one. Shelling is phenomenal.
Overall the experience was fantastic and a HUGE step up from primitive camping.
If you like to “rough it”, but also have a working bathroom or small children, this is the perfect place for you.
This may be one of North Carolina’s best kept secrets! You need a a 4 wd vehicle to drive on the island. In order to do so, you must purchase an off road permit. The Ranger and volunteers were so kind as was the staff of the ferry from Davis. The location cannot be beat. We traveled as a family of 4. My husband, myself and our two teens. The beach and location was surreal and absolutely amazing! The kids suffered a couple jellyfish stings so be sure to bring the vinegar. The Ranger station sells gas, diesel, and ice. That’s it. You need to bring everything else. The cabins are rustic with bunk beds. But they do have hot water and a gas stove. The grill outside is good for cooking hotdogs and quick foods but doesn’t have a cover to be able to cook something more Sophisticated with ease. The sounds of the ocean were beautiful to sleep to. Everyone on the island was amazing and kind. There is a screened in porch and a clothesline to dry towels. This is a very special place!
Please understand before you read this- there is no electricity on this island and it constantly gets hit by hurricanes and bad weather. The fact that these cabins are still standing is a miracle! With that being said it is wonderful to come over to Cape Lookout and to have a real bed, running water, flush toilets and screens on the windows. We rented a bigger cabin this time because it was a last minute trip and we loved it! The best part was that it was so close to the beach we could just walk out the our door and the beach was just a few steps away. It is amazing that the cabin is wired for electricity via your own personal generator and also has hot water and a stove/oven. That being said, you need to bring all of your own stuff and supplies and don’t think you will be sand and bug free! What a gem! We love it here!
