Outer Banks lighthouse opens to climbers as restoration continues on famous companion
One of three National Park Service lighthouses on North Carolina’s Outer Banks has opened to climbers for spring and fall.
The 1848 Bodie Island Lighthouse, in Nags Head, opened Friday for daily, self-guided climbs through Oct. 13.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, its famous companion 43 miles down N.C. 12 to the south, will remain closed this year for restoration work, park officials said. Outdoor areas near the lighthouse are open 24/7.
The Ocracoke Island Lighthouse is not open for climbing, but the base is open periodically for viewing, according to the National Park Service.
“It may be noisy, humid, hot and dim”
Bodie Island Lighthouse climbing tickets are for sale only online starting at 7 a.m. and can be purchased only on the day of the intended climb. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for ages 62 and older, children 11 and under and people with disabilities.
The lighthouse offers views of Bodie Island, the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound, but climbing its 200 steps is strenuous, equal to the height of a 10-story building, park officials say.
“The narrow stairs have a handrail only on one side and 9 landings,” according to the Outer Banks lighthouses climb page on the Natural Park Service website. “There is no air conditioning and no elevator in the lighthouse. “It may be noisy, humid, hot and dim inside the lighthouse.”
Visitors with heart, respiratory and other conditions should use caution in deciding to climb the lighthouse, officials said.
This story was originally published April 19, 2025 at 11:13 AM.