Cape Hatteras National Seashore Announces 2013 Campground Schedule

Cape Hatteras National Seashore's campgrounds will begin to open for the season on April 5 when the Oregon Inlet, Frisco, and Ocracoke campgrounds open for business.

The Oregon Inlet and Frisco campgrounds will remain open until noon on October 14, while the Ocracoke Island Campground will close at noon on October 28. Cape Point Campground in Buxton, on Hatteras Island, will open Friday, May 24, for Memorial Day weekend, and close on September 2.

The four campgrounds can accommodate tents, trailers, and motorhomes up to 35 feet. Each campground provides restrooms, potable water, unheated showers, grills, and picnic tables. No hookups (utility connections) are available.

Camping fees at Oregon Inlet, Frisco and Cape Point are $20 per night. The camping fee at Ocracoke Campground is $23 per night. Holders of the Interagency Senior or Access passes and the Golden Age or Golden Access passes receive a 50 percent discount on their campsite.

Group camping is only available at Oregon Inlet Campground. Fees for group camping are $4 per person per night (for groups of 7-30 people) including infants and toddlers. The group camping reservation number is 252-441-0882 and reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance.

Ocracoke is the only National Park Service campground on the Outer Banks where visitors can make advanced reservations for non-group campsites. Reservations can be made by calling 1-877-444-6777 or on the Internet at www.recreation.gov and can be made up to six months in advance. Campsites at Oregon Inlet, Frisco and Cape Point campgrounds are assigned on a first come first served basis.

No more than six persons and two vehicles may occupy a single campsite. Camping trailers, including pop-up campers, are considered vehicles. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, all camping is limited to a total of 14 days within a 30-day period. Quiet hours are between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Generators may not be operated during these hours.

Camping in Cape Hatteras National Seashore is permitted only in designated campgrounds. Camping on beaches is prohibited. Pets must be physically restrained at all times on a leash not exceeding 6 feet in length.