· 7 min read
Corolla Wild Horses: How to See Them (and the Rules to Know)
Where to see the Corolla wild horses on the Outer Banks, how to get to Carova by 4WD or tour, the 50-foot rule, and the history of the Colonial Spanish mustangs.
The Corolla wild horses live on the four-wheel-drive beaches of Carova, north of Corolla where NC-12 ends. You can see them by driving your own 4WD on the beach or booking a guided tour. Local law requires staying at least 50 feet away, and feeding them is illegal.
Who the Corolla wild horses are
The herd is descended from Colonial Spanish mustangs believed to have arrived with early European explorers centuries ago. They are protected, and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund manages and advocates for the herd.
Where to see them
Drive north on NC-12 until the pavement ends at Corolla, then onto the beach. Everything north — Swan Beach, Carova and up to the Virginia line — is horse country. Horses wander the dunes, the beach and even the yards of houses out there.
- Drive yourself: 4WD required, air tires down, follow beach driving rules
- Guided tour: the easiest option, no beach driving needed
- Best times: early morning and evening, when horses move toward the water
The rules: 50 feet and no feeding
Currituck County requires visitors to stay at least 50 feet from the horses, and feeding them is prohibited — human food can make them seriously ill. Fines apply. Use a zoom lens and let them come and go.
Remember the north end
Corolla is the first town on our highway-sign designs — the top of the list, where the road ends and the horses begin.
Common questions
- Do you need 4WD to see the Corolla wild horses?
- To drive yourself, yes — the beaches north of Corolla are 4WD only. Guided tours are the alternative.
- How close can you get to the wild horses in Corolla?
- No closer than 50 feet. That's local law, and feeding the horses is illegal.
- Can you see wild horses anywhere else on the Outer Banks?
- Yes — Ocracoke has a penned herd of Banker ponies you can view from a platform off NC-12.