Outer Banks Preservation Association

08/08/2023

Cape Point has reopened to ORV use today, August 8, 2023.

08/17/2022

Cape Point has reopened to ORV driving. Be aware that there is still a small closure on the South Beach end.

04/15/2022

🔺Notice sent from National Park Service this morning🔺

“To: Tackle shops and local stakeholders,
This morning, our staff will install an ORV-only corridor south of Ramp 44 allowing passage near an American oystercatcher nest. The corridor begins at approximately 0.17 miles south of the ramp. Access to Cape Point remains open to ORVs through the use of the corridor.

Access to the west of Bypass Road for roughly 0.42 miles is available to those who want to walk down Bypass Road. The distance from the entrance to Bypass Road to the open beach is around 0.20 miles. A portion of South Beach is also available after a short walk from the parking area at the south end of South Beach Road.

We will continue to monitor this nest and make adjustments to the area, as needed. Due to the decreased size of the Cape Point area, it is likely that the southern tip of Cape Point will close in 24-30 days when the nest hatches.

Historical Information

In 2021, an ORV-only corridor to Cape Point was installed 10 days earlier than this year, on April 5. Cape Point then closed on May 15 and remained closed until August 5.
In back-to-back years, we have used ORV corridors to extend ORV access to Cape Point by approximately a month compared to previous years. Prior to the implementation of ORV corridors in 2017, Cape Point regularly closed in early April. Without this morning's corridor installation, Cape Point would be closed.
We will do our best to provide as much access south of Ramp 44 in the coming months, but beach goers should be aware that the area, including Cape Point, has lost a significant amount of south-facing beach over the last few years.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore beach access updates are regularly posted at http://go.nps.gov/beachaccess. I personally update the beach access page, so if you have any questions about the information on it, please let me know.
Michael Barber
Public Affairs Officer”

Ramp 23-North: Seasonal ORV route open from October 15 to April 14 (Night Driving Route Open)-South: Seasonal ORV route open from October 15 to April 14 (Night Driving Route Open); travel between ramps may not be possible during high tide conditions.Ramp 25 (Priority Ramp)-North: Open to ORV (Night....

09/08/2021

Heads up this week beach drivers! NPS is already seeing impacts from Hurricane Larry swells.

08/05/2021

Cape Point has reopened to ORV access this morning!

05/20/2021

🔹Cape Point Oystercatcher closure update
🔹There are 3 chicks and they are on the move. The pedestrian corridor is still open now.
🔹They have modified it some to include the bird’s movement.
🔹As new nests hatch, they may change the closure again.
🔹Fingers crossed that the birds hatch and fledge quickly and don’t lose their nests/chicks because they will try to Renest and it starts all over again. We want you all to have as much of the summer open to access as possible. 📷: NPS

05/15/2021

🔺 Change to ORV access at Cape Point 🔺

Heads up guys...the American Oystercatcher pair whose nest has been closed off there now has a chick hatched. This has expanded the closure so that ORVs cannot get to the Point but the Park Service management has kept a pedestrian corridor available there. It is about 1000 ft walk down the bypass road. Please be aware that the least amount of disturbance to the chicks will get them fledged and moved on sooner rather then later. We want you all to be able to get back out there as soon as possible. 🤞

05/06/2021

Hey Cape Hatteras, if you are out on the beach Friday evening at 7:58, look up!

04/29/2021

The weekly NPS newsletter for our area, Cape Chronicle, was released today. In it is important information about the night driving changes that start May 1.

View as webpage Cape Chronicle April 29, 2021 | Issue 71 Photos of the Week Kite surfer on the beach near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. NPS Photo/Kurt Moses Kite surfer enjoying the ocean off Cape Hat

04/17/2021

🔺Cape Point Update for 04/17/21 gives ORVs some more parking at the Point.

🔺The closure at Cape Point will be modified to better encompass the American Oystercatcher breeding activity. They have made a nest further North then the current closed area and it will allow more parking access at the Point itself.
🔺ORVs will need to use the bypass to get around the nest.
🔺Check the ORV info chart on the NPS website for more info.

04/13/2021

🔺Heads up! Seasonal ORV route closures in front of the village houses go into effect this week. I think this year is going to be really packed with people on those parts of the beach too. We had a very busy spring break week here. April 15-October 15 is the time frame for these route changes.

The seasonal ORV access for beaches in front of the villages of Hatteras Island will close for the summer season starting on Thursday, April 15. These routes, which run parallel to the towns of Hatteras, Frisco, Avon, and the Tri-villages, open to ORVs annually in the winter months when the visitor....

04/05/2021

Update on Bird Activity at Cape Point area:

🔸Spring has begun and with it comes the bird nesting time of year. Which means we are going to see access changes in some areas.

✅Cape Point remains open. The Park Service installed an ORV pass-through corridor through the protection area for ORV access to Cape Point. Pedestrians can also get to Cape Point via the Bypass Road.

◾️The American oystercatcher (AMOY) pair that has nested between Ramp 44 and Cape Point for about the past five years have returned. They are exhibiting nesting behavior and the Park is installing a resource protection buffer (closure) around this site. The protected area begins approximately 0.26 miles south of Ramp 44.

I’ll update you all when I hear any changes.