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The Ocracoke Campground at Cape Hatteras National Seashore will remain open through the winter of 2020-21 and into spring instead of closing after Thanksgiving weekend as usual, the National Parks Service has announced.

“We are extending the camping season at the Ocracoke Campground through the winter to provide more opportunities for camping at the Seashore,” David Hallac, superintendent for National Parks of Eastern North Carolina, said in a news release. “We will evaluate its use this winter and determine if year-round camping on Ocracoke will be continued in the future.”

Ocracoke Campground, below, offers 136 tent, trailer and RV sites but no water or electricty hookups. Previously, its season began in May.

RVs and tents at Ocracoke Campground in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore

“Last year, we decided to keep the Oregon Inlet Campground open all winter and it was well-used,” Hallac said. “Extended camping seasons align with our plans to modernize campgrounds and broaden the opportunities for the public to have high-quality camping experiences.”

The other campgrounds at Cape Hatteras are: Cape Point (near the Cape Hatteras lighthouse), with 202 sites; Frisco, with 127 sites; and Oregon Inlet, with 120 sites. Cape Point and Frisco will close November 30 and reopen in May. Oregon Inlet, which is the only one of the four with utility hookups, will remain open. Cost per night is $20 at Cape Point, $28 at Frisco and Ocracoke, and $35 with hookups and $28 without at Oregon Inlet.

Ocracoke Campground is on Ocracoke Island about 9 miles south of the Cape Hatteras ferry landing and 3 miles north of the Ocracoke village. Ocracoke is reached via ferry from Cape Hatteras, Cedar Island or Swansboro, or by private boat or plane.


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