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Oregon Inlet Campground is the northernmost campground on Cape Hatteras National Seashore. When camping here, you are within a short distance of the full service town of Nags Head to the north, and the world class fishing at Oregon Inlet to the south.
The beach adjacent to the campground can be reached by foot from your campsite as well as by vehicle with a Cape Hatteras Off-Road Vehicle Permit. Popular activities include fishing, swimming, surfing, birding, and shell hunting. The calmer waters of the sound to the west of the campground can be accessed at the public boat launch at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. Popular sound side opportunities include crabbing, clamming, paddle-boarding, boating, and fishing.
Each of the three loops in the campground have a bath house with flush toilets, potable water, and heated outdoor showers. Each campsite has a paved parking pad, picnic table, and charcoal grill. There are limited sites with RV hook-ups. A dump and water fill station are located directly across Highway 12 at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, and are free of charge for campers.
The campground is located on the east side of the barrier island, just a short walk through the dunes to the expansive waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Sea Oats and other native flowering plants blanket the dunes providing a picturesque backdrop for your camping experience.
The historic Bodie Island Lighthouse is approximately four miles north of Oregon Inlet Campground on NC Highway 12. From the third Friday in April until Columbus Day visitors can climb the lighthouse with a ticket that can be purchased in the lighthouse visitor center. Coquina Beach Day Use Area is located directly across HWY 12 from the Bodie Island Lighthouse access road. The day use area provides a vehicle free beach perfect for families. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Coquina Beach is staffed with lifeguards to ensure the safety of visitors. Other amenities at Coquina Beach include a bathhouse with outdoor cold showers, flush toilet restrooms, water fountains, and a boardwalk to the beach.
North (From Richmond, VA) Follow I-95 South to Richmond, VA. Take I-64 East toward Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA. Take I-64 or I-664 to Chesapeake, VA. From I-64, take Exit 291B to Route 168, the Chesapeake Expressway (a toll-road costing $3.00- $6.00 each way). Once in North Carolina, Route 168 turns into US-158 East. Follow US-158 East through Nags Head, NC to the junction of NC-12 South. Continue on NC-12 South, and the campground will be on your left just before you reach Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet.
West (From Rocky Mount, NC) Follow US-64 East through Tarboro, Williamston, Plymouth, Columbia, and Manteo, crossing the Alligator River Bridge and the Virginia Dare Bridge. Keep going on US-64 East to Nags Head, NC, going over the Washington Baum Bridge, to the junction of NC-12 South. Turn right onto NC-12 South and you will be at the north entrance. Continue on NC-12 South, and the campground will be on your left just before you reach Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet.
South (From Florence, SC) Take I-95 North to Wilson, NC. Take US-264 East through Greenville, NC and Washington, NC. From Washington, NC, take US-17 to Williamston and follow US-64 East to Nags Head, NC and the junction of NC-12 South. Continue on NC-12 South, and the campground will be on your left just before you reach Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet.
It’s the end of October and unseasonably warm. (Thank you climate change🤪) The sun is just over the horizon and blasting your eyeballs all day long. What this means is if you have a choice of sites for your RV, choose a NW-facing site if you want any shade, or bring along a movable canopy. The other surprising must-have is bug spray. We walked through the park and over the dunes last night for a walk on the beach and the mosquitoes were voracious. Others have mentioned burrs. They are very small and needle-sharp. Keep an eye on your dog’s paws🐾 None of those things are the fault of the park, just things to keep in mind. Overall it’s a nice, clean, friendly park!
The campground was clean and well set up. Several times a day, staff made the rounds, adding a feeling of security. I was quite disappointed when I went to the beach and found a Confederate flag flying from a truck. It appeared the owner was fishing. I feel that flag is a symbol of hate and had no place on a public beach. My son took the opportunity to use it as a teaching moment with his daughter. We then turned around and left the beach.
The campground was clean and well kept. Never saw the host. The office was locked upon arrival and locked when leaving. It was off season so understandably not all the bath houses were open. There was no hot water even in the bath house sinks. The bath houses were heated and warm. The porta-jon for the ORV route was closer than the open bath house. Outside of some minor nuisances it was a great place.
