Oregon Inlet Campground — Cape Hatteras National Seashore

 Cool campground within the Cape Hatteras Nat’l Seashore, beachy vibe, sites are open and no privacy whatsoever, and you’re pretty close to your neighbor, but it is what we expect from most beach campgrounds. 

Watch out for spiny sand spurs(?) that stick in your dog’s paws and your socks- very painful and they’re all over the grassy areas. 

Bathrooms are nice, flush toilets. Showers are available for free, but they are a bit exposed, like an outhouse type set up and the doors are short. We didn’t take showers here but another camper told us the water is warm. 

Beach is right behind the campground, easy access with several trails leading right from the campsites. Wifi is available per sign on office door, but you probably need to be at the office to use it, as we didn’t see it pop us as an available wifi source. Good cell reception for Verizon and ATT. 

All reservations must be made via recreation.gov. We came in without reservations, drove through the loops, picked an open site, and made our reservation. Recreation.gov is nice in that there are no processing fees. 

Campground was about 1/2 full on a Sunday in early November. We paid $28 for a no-hookup site, water/power sites are available for a bit more. There’s a dump station available across the street but we didn’t use it since we were just heading south to the next campground with a dump and fill station there as well.

Oregon Inlet in Hatteras NSS, NC.: Great beach and Kitty Hawk nearby. We like this campground even though sites are pretty tight. We have been here later in November in the past. The weather was much cooler, but this campground is pretty empty then.
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: 3.5 Price 2023: $ 14 w interagency pass for non electric sites Usage during visit: 95% full. Site Privacy: Not good Site Spacing: Sites along the dunes are pretty close. Site surface: Blacktop Reservations: Required Campground Noise: Quiet Road Noise: Noticeable throughout B and C loops. I’ll leave Loop A to be evaluated by tent campers. Homey, I will say to choose a site away from Hwy 12.
Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: Some sites. See my map in pictures Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes. It is across the highway to the south of the campground. Potable Water Available: At the dump station and near the restrooms. Generators: Allowed.
Bathroom: Clean flush toilets. Showers: Yes, but a gap between the roof and walls makes for a cold experience this time of year with the wind. Pull Throughs: No Cell Service (AT&T): 2 to 3 bars. Setting: A pretty area between Highway 12 and the dunes. Weather: Highs in upper 60s. Lows are in mid 50s Bugs: A couple mosquitoes. Wind has probably kept them at bay. Solar: Great when not too cloudy.
Host: They are super.
Rig size: Large rigs can fit in many spots. Sites: See my map in my attached pictures: Circled sites B2 - 20 back right up to the dunes. C1 -21 have a broader view of the beautiful dunes with 5 - 21 in this group a bit larger sites. B 22 and24 are getting closer to the dunes. I like all these sites in comparison to the others. However, I appreciate being backed right up to the dunes. Site B4 is the best site, in my opinion. Rig size is limited for this site. It’s not deep, Punic table is near campground road, but isolated from B2 on the picnic side by a dune . B2 is a good site. Picnic area is private from adjacent site, but not from vehicles driving by.

Camped at Oregon Inlet for its location near Alligator River NWR, and Bodies Lighthouse.

The PROS:

• Great location - plenty of beach access
• Warm water in the showers. However, I did wish they had an attached dressing area that was dry. 
• Quiet and respectful 'neighbors'

The CONS:

• Mid-September was hot, muggy and buggy. Also afternoon heavy rain showers.
• Hard to enjoy the campground during the day due to the heat, and at night due to the bugs. I took a Tent with bug screens that covered the picnic table, so that helped but bugs still got in. Used Thermocells to help create a bug free zone relatively. Next time I will waterproof the tent cover for rain showers and it dripped a bit.
• Bathroom doors left wide open and poorly ventilated, so they were hot and buggy, even at night. I discovered air conditioned bathrooms at Bodie's lighthouse and at the visitors center at the beginning of Route 12.
• Yes, there are sand spurs at the campsites. I wore shoes so didn't have a problem.
• It is true that you hear road noise through out the night. I found that week nights were notably quieter than weekend nights, including Sunday night.
• The campsites are small and closely together with no sun protection.
• Beach access involves walking over two high sand dunes on soft sand. Not terribly difficult, but hard for me with bad knees.
• No area for washing dishes. I take a portable wash bucket. Took my dishes up and showered and washed them in the shower room.
• One water spigot near the shower areas. I wasn't sure which was potable. Red and blue water spigots unmarked.