· 8 min read
Outer Banks Lighthouses: A Guide to All Four, North to South
A guide to the four Outer Banks lighthouses — Currituck Beach, Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke — with their patterns, history, climbing info and how to tell them apart.
The four main Outer Banks lighthouses, north to south, are Currituck Beach (unpainted red brick, Corolla), Bodie Island (black and white horizontal bands, near Nags Head), Cape Hatteras (black and white spiral, Buxton — the tallest brick lighthouse in the U.S.) and Ocracoke (solid white, North Carolina's oldest operating lighthouse).
Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Corolla
First lit in 1875, Currituck was left as bare red brick so sailors could tell it apart from its painted neighbors. It stands about 162 feet tall and is typically open to climb in the warmer months.
Bodie Island Lighthouse, near Nags Head
Lit in 1872, Bodie (pronounced "body") wears broad black and white horizontal bands. It sits on the marshes just north of Oregon Inlet, a short drive from Coquina Beach.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton
The black and white spiral is the most recognizable image on the Outer Banks. Lit in 1870, it is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States, and in 1999 it was moved 2,900 feet inland to escape erosion.
Ocracoke Lighthouse, Ocracoke Village
Built in 1823, the short, solid-white Ocracoke Light is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina. It is not open for climbing, but the walk to it through the village is one of the island's best.
- Red brick, no paint: Currituck Beach
- Horizontal black and white bands: Bodie Island
- Black and white spiral: Cape Hatteras
- Solid white: Ocracoke
Taking the lighthouses home
Our Outer Banks Lighthouses Wrapping Paper puts all four — Currituck, Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke — in a vintage watercolor pattern with dunes, snow fences and gulls. It is 30" x 36" of glossy fine art paper, and plenty of people keep a sheet to frame.
Common questions
- How many lighthouses are on the Outer Banks?
- Four main lighthouses: Currituck Beach, Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke. Roanoke Marshes in Manteo is a reproduction screwpile light.
- Which Outer Banks lighthouse is the tallest?
- Cape Hatteras, the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States.
- Can you climb the Outer Banks lighthouses?
- Currituck Beach, Bodie Island and Cape Hatteras typically open for climbing seasonally, usually spring through fall. Ocracoke is not open to climb. Check the operator's website before you go.