Best Cabin Camping near Cedar Island, NC

I have a personal pull to Goose Creek State Park as it was once my family’s land going back generations and generations. My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father carved out the trails used for hiking today and the road to the campground its self was made by my dad and his friends. The state bought the land in the 70’s and it became our state park. It makes me proud to share a part of my family history with the rest of the world.

Even without the personal connection I feel when I visit GCSP, it’s such a beautiful place to be during anytime of the year. Hiking trails equipped with boardwalks lead through the marsh and swampy areas while sporadic signs display pictures and information about the wildlife you are likely to see. The primitive campground has more than 10 sites, with the farthest sights sitting on the edge of the Pamlico River. It truly is an awesome sight to take in at sunset and sunrise. Bath houses with showers, hot water, and toilets are available. There are two group sites and, recently added, several rv sites and about 5-6 small cabins. I have not stayed in the cabins yet. They seem to be fairly popular so reservations should be made at least a couple of weeks in advanced. There heat and AC but no bathrooms or kitchen area inside the cabin. I believe there are two sets of twin beds and a full bed but you have to bring your own linens. There is also a very nice bathhouse available for cabin renters. The only downside to the cabins and RV sites is there is no shade. The sites are toward the front of the park, and, perhaps because of the recent construction, there is are no trees, woods, or shade around. As a personal preference, I want to be IN THE WOODS when I camp so the aspect of being out in the open is not as exciting as tent camping. That being said, the cabins are adorable and have a fire ring, picnic table, and everything you need to enjoy a night of camping.

Open:  April - December

Sites: 85 with 24 pull thrus

Nicely laid out sites that are a bit close but still not bad, room for slides.  Some trees or shrubs would be nice.  An amazing olympic size swimming pool.  Love the cabins and bright paint plays into the whole beach theme.  Concrete pads are great for larger RV's but road is a bit tight.  Most sites have water, sewer, and electric hookups.  No fire rings or open fires.  They also have Wifi and cable, and air conditioned bath house. There is a laundry facility and store on site.  The site is just minutes from the beach.  You can fish right on the site in the canal or launch your kayak.  Club house for adults, site is pet friendly.  Relax and enjoy the amazing sunsets, they are awesome.

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Employees are incredibly nice. Store is well stocked. Cabins are just beds and a couple outlets. Picnic table and charcoal grill outside. AC is the big draw since summer can be brutal. Access to the sound side of the island. Ramp for driving onto the beach or the pedestrian accessed beach requires driving. Campground is quite large and packed. Noise was better than expected. Wifi is a complete fail even though they advertise it. Verizon coverage was adequate. Only 2 bathhouses (1 is being renovated) for the entire campground. Lines were not bad but it was hard for it to stay clean with all that use. The laundry room was nice and worked well. There is a pool, but I didn't use it. I prefer the Hatteras area to the more crowded Nags Head/Kitty Hawk scene but don't think I'd return to this location next time. There are many NPS campsites in the area. (The campground felt unsafe given the large numbers of RV campers who flew multiple Trump/confederate flags, but I did not experience anything unsafe.)

Booked a tent site and later a cabin as well since we were unsure about the weather. The tent sites were nicely situated and far apart from each other. The vault toilet was very clean. The site is peaceful and since the weather was pretty bad, it was quiet and only a few sites were occupied. 

The cabins are new and clean, with AC/heat and electricity and a nice outdoor setup with a grill and fire pit aside each one. They are located in the cleared RV park, not the woods, so don't expect to feel like you are staying in nature if you book a cabin. The shower facilities are very nice too. Overall, cabins are a great option if the weather is bad or you don't want to stay in a tent. 

Plan for bugs - ticks and mosquitoes are a given in the summer. Also, the swimming beach is closed as of May 2020.

What a hidden gem! Cabins are clean but very rustic - bathroom, bunkbeds (with clean and comfy mattresses), gas stove, stink, platic table and chairs, and a porch - just straight up fishing cabins, nothing fancy. But they are situated directly behind the dunes from miles and miles of totally prestine beaches. The only on-island supplies are ice and gasoline, so you must pack in everything. Tap water is potable but tastes very desalinated, so bottled water is recommended. If you crave isolation and wide open spaces - dont miss this gorgeous place! Be sure to bleed your tire PSI all the way down to 18 and drive 10 miles down the dune road to the lighthouse. Totally dreamy and not to be missed!

If you are looking for beaches that aren't covered with people, you may have a hard time finding something no matter what state you live in. Luckily, North Carolina has some amazing beaches on the Outer Banks, and Long Point Cabin area should definitely be on your list of spots to check out. Since this area is on a small barrier island, you have to take a ferry to reach the cabins. Because of this you, and the other temporary residents of these cabins, have the island all to yourselves.

Being located far from any truly habited land comes with some benefits and issues. If you are looking for empty beaches, lots of outdoor activities (fishing, hiking, shelling, kayaking, etc.), and clear skies to view the stars at night, this is the campground for you. The downfall to this seclusion, though, is that you have to bring all of your necessities and recreational gear with you on the ferry. With an off-road vehicle, this will be no big deal. But if you don't have that luxury, you will be carrying your stuff back and forth on the back of a cart driven by one of the NPS staff. You also don't have any access to convenient stores for forgotten stuff or drinkable water. So be prepared before you head out to the island.

Although the cabins are a bit older, they are still great for your stay here. They all have a porch with rocking chairs to be able to soak up all of the island sun and breeze you can on your trip. They also each have their own private bathrooms and kitchen, so you don't have to worry about sharing with your neighbors.

I actually decided to set up my tent for the first night since it was so beautiful outside, but that required a lot of clearing an area in the sand for my tent since the send is covered in broken shells. This was a bit of a chore, but was so worth it when I fell asleep under the stars that night. Also be prepared for changing weather. As nice as it was the first day, I had to take down my tent the next day due to the harsh winds and rainstorm. Once that cleared up, though, the weather was back to being as beautiful as before.

Pros

• Solitude
• Great fishing and other outdoor activities
• Clear night skies for stargazing
• Private cabins or camping
• Personal bathrooms + kitchen

Cons

• No convenient stores for forgotten items
• Must bring all drinking water
• Older cabins
• Hard to explore without an off-road vehicle
• Quick-changing weather

We stayed for four nights and rented two of the cabins with our family of six with two dogs and a lizard. When we travel, we travel. Cabins were comfortable but they are camping cabins so read the description of what’s included and what you need to pack with you. Located right off NC HWY 12 you are closest to OSV Ramp 55 by the ferry and Pole Road. Camp hosts and staff were friendly and it was a very family oriented atmosphere. Campground was secluded from thru traffic so our son could ride his bike throughout with no concerns. A cool canal runs around the cabins and sites allowing the kids to fish. We’ll be back.