Best Tent Camping near Cedar Island, NC

We made reservations online, got there Tuesday and left Thursday. We stayed at site 7 in the primitive tent camp ground. It was well shaded and not right on the road. The boardwalks and beach are closed, but at the end of the primitive campground (if you are staying there, only) you can access the Pamlico River and Goose Creek.

The toilets were clean, and the camp site was clean. The have have firewood available in the primitive section just before sites 5 and 6, it’s $5 per milk crate, but bring cash and exact change. The rangers drive through regularly if you need anything.

There wasn’t anyone near us and only one other occupied campsite while we were there so it was really peaceful. No issues with cell service from AT&T.

All in all, it’s your basic primitive camp site. We plan to return, and will probably try to stay closer to sites 12, 13, or 14 since they are closer to the dock and water.

If you have small children there’s not much they can do (we didn’t go to the visitors center) so be sure to bring things to occupy them.

Drove down for 2 nights to camp in a tent with our toddler. She had a great time camping out, going to the beach and riding her scooter on the paved roads. Beach was a short walk from the campground and park was clean and quiet. There were a lot of sand spurs and ticks at the site, but other than that it was lovely.

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.

I had a wonderful late November five night, tent camping, surf fishing week at a wonderful, clean, quiet campground. I stayed in site D-17 and recommend any of those sites on the outer perimeter of D loop.

The bath houses were always clean. The park hosts were friendly and accessible. The town of Ocracoke is only a five minute drive yet a world away from this peaceful place.

I'm tent camping. The lady in the welcome center was in a rush to get out of the building and go work in a next-door diner so she didn't have time to answer any questions about this campground. I paid $30. There's a beautiful place to walk my dog along the water. White sand beach. The site itself has hookups if you need them. It has a picnic table, a fire ring and plenty of space for my vehicle and tent. I'm about 15 feet from the water. Nice view.

Its not a bad spot, but $28 is a little high when you're just using a tent. you can't see the ocean from your camping area, but its a 3 minute walk there. When I came here I thought we'd be allowed to tent camp (without having a fire) anywhere on the beach, so the need to pay a fee was a let down.

T-Mobile DOES have service on most of this island, as I am writing this review from the camping area.

Bugs were not an issue.

While we only stayed in this spot for a night, the place was absolutely amazing. We tent camped in section D and had direct access to the beach with our tent tucked behind the sand dunes. My only actual issue with the campground itself was our site had some residual trash left over from people before which is quite disappointing as we always pack out. Also, the bathrooms were kinda meh.

Do be prepared to have a way to keep nats away as our tent was filled in the morning.

Overall, this visit was spectacular and we will definitely be back

Originally intended on staying at another campground but it ended up being closed. This was the closest alternative and what a pleasant surprise it was. Commodities are the cleanest I've seen. Full bath house with showers as well as a swimming pool. Nestled right along the beach. We stayed in the "rustic" tent sites. Decent amount of trees for shade. Plenty of stuff to do in the area. Highly recommend.

Ocracoke is a great place to “recharge” the batteries of life pure and simple! Falling asleep listening to the sounds of the ocean; to look up at night and see our galaxy the Milky Way and all the stars revolving around Polaris is simply awe inspiring and a slice of heaven! We tent camped D-28. The steady breeze kept the bugs away all 3 nights. 4x4 to the many beach gates is a definite must. Lower tire pressure to 15-20 psi is highly recommended

Dispersed camping deep in the national forest. A native long leaf pine forest in a swampy alligator habitat with some nice lakes. Lots of roads closed from hurricane damage, so don't trust Google maps. The dirt roads were not maintained and ridiculously bumpy and unmanageable for smaller cars. There are alligators, bears, way too many ticks, mosquitos and a ridiculous amount of shotgun shells. It definitely felt dangerous. Would not recommend tent camping, but great for an RV if you can figure out where to park.

This is a beautiful campground and we had a site with it’s own path to the beach which was very convenient. The bathhouse was clean but got VERY hot during the day. The campground Is very close to the pony pens and Is a quick drive to Ocracoke village. The biggest con of this campground is the lack of shade and the fact that the manmade dune blocks most of the wind. In the summer heat, it was stifling for tent camping. It was too hot for my northern blood. If I come back here, It would have to be earlier in the season or I would bring an air conditioner.

Camping on Ocracoke for their April 5k / 10k race has been my camping season opener for several years. The Beachcomber is a good campground at the north end of the village conveniently situated behind the gas station and near the grocery/hardware/liquor store. Park your car, set up the camp site (19 and 20 are the best tent sites) and unload the bike. Everything on the island is walk/bike distance.

The owners have been doing a good job with this campground since they bought in a few years ago. Each year there are improvements. And Ocracoke is just a special place.

I'll remind myself to take some pictures this year and update this post.

First time staying here in early November and what a nice campground. Reserved a site but when I pulled up to my spot it was all muddy and rutted up. Back up to the office I went and she said to pick any of the sites but the ones already reserved. Clean bathrooms. Hot showers. Cool tent sites in the trees. One thing I will say is I didn’t expect the mosquitos to be this bad in November. They are a different breed than what we have back home. Other than that just a normal good campground with added features to make your stay great. Would stay again but next time to try the cabins.

Drove down from our 4 night stay in Kitty Hawk, took the ferry over to Ocracoke. Tent camped for the night. Our little spot (D25) had a paved drive that I could back into, a grill and a picnic table. So everything you need really. It dog legged off to the right into to smaller trees witch we took advantage of as a wind break.

We walked over the dunes to the beach, water was warm but the surf was a bit rough so I only went out about waste deep (Rip current). Wind was up that day too, a lot of sea shells on the beach if your into that.

Grounds had shower stalls with cold water, no problem for us and they had men's and women's restrooms that were clean and well lit.

We would defiantly recommend this campground and I hope to stay there again some day!

This place is such a hidden gem, on such a remote island!  Though we did hit some snags - We tent camped and unfortunately there was a horrific thunder storm one of the nights. The campground is right next to the beach on low ground so does flood easily. We stayed in B010 and our tent ground did not flood, but the parking spot did (no big deal) but sites around the back half of the campground further from the beach were completely flooded. It is also terrifying to tent camp during a lightning storm here because your tent is the tallest thing around. Also the mosquitos are AWFUL. But with the negative experiences aside, we would absolutely stay here again (perhaps with an RV instead...).  The campground is located a bit down the main highway, so you are still a short 5-10 minute right to town if you so please, or you can escape into the coast for a truly remote experience. All sites are separated from the beach by the sand dunes, and it's a short walk up/down the dunes to the beach. The beach itself is very private - we went during Fourth of July weekend and still only saw a few others on the beach (I imagine because it's a bit further away/ hard to get to for non campers.) There are amenities (bathroom, and a separate shower stall) but the showers were cold and mosquito-infested (they bite you as you are trying to shower - another reason I think I'd come back with an RV... lol!)  There was also no water source here  - I believe NPS turned off all water fountains due to covid, and water is hard to come by / expensive on the island, so bring your own jugs!! The campground itself is a mix of more shaded, secluded spots, and wide open grassy field sites. It's a mix of RV, pop ups, and tents. There are no fires allowed but each site comes with a picnic table and charcoal grill. The campground is very quiet and dark after dusk so you truly feel like you're remote, and you can even hear the sound of the ocean crashing beyond the dunes as you sleep! Definitely bring LOTS of bug spray and citronella candles, I lived in Florida so am no stranger to mosquitos, but the bugs here are no joke. I also suggest bringing a screenroom with fine netting for your site - I never believed in these screen canopies before but I am now converted. It was a life saver!

My wife and I love to tent camp, and this is our second visit here.  Here is the breakdown:

• $28/night

• Showers are cold water only, but they do have great pressure

• No matter where your site is located, there is easy, easy, so much easy access to the beach

• Park Rangers seem attentive, as we have seen her/him patrol each day of our visit

• Dogs and cats and I imagine other animals are welcome

• Cell Service is spotty for both Verizon and T-Mobile

• No shade

No complaints with this campground, but I do want to elaborate on cellular coverage.  I think The Dyrt mentions that T-Mobile has availability.  This is kind of true.  It comes and it goes depending on your location at the campground.  I am a T-Mobile customer and I have been connecting to U.S Cellular towers during my trip🤷‍♂️.  I am on. the sound side of the campground (west side), and last year, we were closer to the ocean and our coverage was "better".  Point is, your mileage my vary.

Don't hesitate, put your phone away, bring a sunshade, and relax.  You will not regret it.

We tent camped on the first weekend the campground opened this spring and brought our dog. We had our choice of campsites. Sites along the back side of the perimeter loop have a view of the ocean while sites on the front side of the perimeter loop are closer to the boardwalks leading to the beaches. Sites are on the larger side for the most part and many have some sense of privacy. This is the only Park run campground in Cape Hatteras National Seashore that has any bit of shade. Showers are not heated and bath houses are clean but basic (they do have soap). Watch out for cactus and sand spurs. There were no bugs yet so our screen room was not necessary. The rangers were extremely helpful and kind, suggesting local restaurants and activities. There is a trail to the Cape Point Campground and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse but it is quite long. There is a beach access ramp right next to the ranger station if you want to drive your 4wd vehicle on the beach. If you need ice, gas, basic groceries, a sweatshirt, or fishing gear, Frisco Rod and Gun is only about a mile and opens early and closes late.

I stayed at Ocracoke Campground during a two day north-to-south traversal of the Outer Banks. This ended up being a perfect jumping off point for enjoying the town of Ocracoke in the evening and the following morning, then taking the afternoon ferry to Cedar Island. The beach is also just a few yards away.

The Outer Banks are about one foot above sea level, and it had just rained, so a lot of the campsites here were flooded. The sites along the dunes were high and dry, though, and I got one of those. There was plenty of room for my tent, and the stakes went into the sandy soil easily but held fast. For company, I had a small community of burrowing ghost crabs. These were very fun to watch, but also very shy, so good luck getting photos.

The bathrooms here were clean and modern. Showers are located in separate buildings.

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.

We spontaneously added two days onto our beach camping vacation at Bear Island and took the Cedar Island Ferry to Ocracoke after being away from the island for 7 years.

Ocracoke in itself is a gem. But it is hard to find traditional lodging in town unless you book months in advance. We booked our site three days before our arrival and there were multiple spots open. We arrived after check in and our packet was conveniently tacked on our site marker.

Camping here makes it super affordable to enjoy everything Ocracoke has to offer while giving you direct access to the beach.

Pro tips- •Get a dune side site- we’ve camped here a few times and found they have less mosquitoes than the grass spots and are a closer walk to the dunes.

•For maximum privacy, look closely at the map and pick a spot where the community paths through the dunes for all campers are not right next to you.

•Bring lots of bug repellent and tuck in early to avoid bites. Spray your gear with high grade permethrin before your trip and bring spray and candles also.

•Bring shade- there’s little to no tree coverage.

•Don’t miss out of Ocracoke Coffee Co for coffee and baked goods and Dajio for lunch and/or dinner. Shrimp hour is 2-5!

Bathrooms and showers do need updated and could definitely be in better shape but otherwise we had no issue.

I think this is only the third time I have stayed at a cabin at a campground, and it was all right but I like tent camping better. Because of the intense heat and health concerns, we chose to stay in a cabin here. I wish I had taken more pictures of the campground, but my buddy(seen in the photos) and I are photographers who look for scenes of beauty. It’s not that the campground was not“pretty,” but when you are this close to New Bern, there are better things to photograph. There’s Tryon Palace, Union Point Park, the historic Confederate cemetery, the fireman’s museum, the Pepsi Cola museum(New Bern is where Pepsi was born), etc. The New Bern KOA is perfect in every way. The sites are large with full hookups, Wi-Fi, cable TV, etc. It has all the amenities of a top notch campground that you would expect from KOA. I have stayed at several KOA campgrounds, and they all seem to have the oversized chess; and I have never seen anyone playing it with seriousness. They have two pools, a pavilion, a bouncer… and I could go on and on. IF you want to spend your time at the campground, there is so much to do that you don’t need to go anywhere else… HOWEVER… Did I mention New Bern and Tryon Palace? You can’t come this close to New Bern and not go to Tryon Palace. The campground is located on the shores of the confluence of the Trent and Neuse Rivers. Since they join here, you seem as if you are closer to the ocean. It looks more like a bay. There is a really nice pier at the campground beach for fishing, and the KOA here has outdoor boat rentals. There is also horseshoes, pedal bike rentals… Did I mention there is also New Bern and Tryon Palace? Seriously, the New Bern KOA is about the best campground at which I have stayed, but my buddy had never been to New Bern. There was more to see. If you go, make sure to make reservations. New Bern is a historic town with lots of vacationers during the summer. Looking for something to eat? My favorite place to eat in New Bern was Captain Ratty’s, which has great clam chowder. However, New Bern has lots of other great places to eat as well. The downtown area is also a great area for shopping. Back to the campground… the first time I stayed at the New Bern KOA was over thirty years ago, but it has grown in size and amenities. Now, it is more like a resort than a simple campground.