Great Island Cabin Camp
Cape Lookout National Seashore
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.
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.
Need to Know
Getting to and from Great Island Cabin Camp requires either a personal boat or one of the two vehicle ferry services out of Davis, North Carolina: Cape Lookout Cabin and Camps Ferry Service or Davis Shore Ferry Service ; reservations are required for the vehicle ferries. 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 South Core Banks. An Off-Road Vehicle Driving Permit is also required and needs to 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, and they will issue you the corresponding decal for your vehicle.
- Camp office is located just off the road from the ferry ramp and the Caretaker's Cabin is nearby; office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- If arriving after 3:00 p.m., please call the camp office at (252)725-0256 between business hours to let the staff know, so the volunteer can greet you or arrangements can be made to unlock your rental cabin.
- Camping in tents within the cabin camp is prohibited, however families (not groups) may obtain a permit to allow accompanying minors to stay in a maximum of two tents outside the cabin.
- Most cabins are wired for generator use, but visitors must supply their own generator.
- Generators over 6,000 watts or generators equipped with GFI will not work in the cabin camp.
- Hunting is prohibited in the camps, including the Great Island Cabin and Long Point Cabin Areas. For details where to hunt on the islands, please contact the Visitor and Resource Protection division. North Carolina hunting regulations apply.
- Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.
In order to create the safest conditions that we can for our guests, it is extremely important that all occupants of rental cabins are checked out no later than 10:00 am on their date of departure and incoming guests will not be allowed to check in prior to 2:00 pm. This will allow our staff adequate time to clean & disinfect rental cabins before the next occupant arrives. Thank you for your cooperation during this time.
Natural Features
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.
Nearby Attractions
Cape Lookout Lighthouse, historic Cape Village
Recreation
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.
Changes & Cancellations
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.
Contact Information
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131 Charles Street Harkers Island NC 28531
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 252-728-2250 HARKERS ISLAND VISITOR CENTER OR (252)725-0256 GREAT ISLAND CABIN CAMP OFFICE
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
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.
Available Campsites
- Site 024, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 017, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 001, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 026, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 002, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 018, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 013, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 019, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 007, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 005, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 004, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 022, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 023, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 014, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 021, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 016, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 020, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 011, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 006, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 015, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 008, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 012, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
- Site 003, Loop GI, Type Cabin Nonelectric
