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The Tourist’s Guide to the Island (Ocracoke), part two

Bill Terry

Continuing a Tour Guide of Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina (click here for part one)…

Ocracoke Light Station

The current lighthouse on Ocracoke Island was built in 1823 and first lit in 1824, replacing a wooden tower built in 1794. It was built on a two-acre plot of land bought from Jacob Gaskill for $50. The cost of construction was a whopping $11,359, coming in under the $20K budget. The light station is located in Ocracoke Village on the southern tip of the island. It is claimed to be the oldest functioning lighthouse in North Carolina and the second oldest lighthouse still in service in the United States.

Although the lighthouse is not open for climbing, you can take a virtual tour and climb by clicking below, courtesy of the National Park Service.

Information sign about the Ocracoke Light Station, highlighting its history, resilience against hurricanes, and future restoration plans.
The government is working a project to renovate the light stations on the Outer Banks. I will show the northern lighthouses in more detail in a future post. The projects came after Hurricane Dorian did a lot of damage in 2019.
A view of a grassy field with tall golden grass and a house in the background, surrounded by trees and a blue sky with scattered clouds.
On the path to the lighthouse
A white metal gate with the text 'USLHE' and the year '1823' on it, leading to a grassy area.
US Lighthouse Establishment, aka the US Lighthouse Service and the Bureau of Lighthouses.
Front view of the Ocracoke Light Station, showing a two-story building with boarded windows and a red metal roof, surrounded by a fence.
The keeper’s quarters are being renovated and raised 4′ after Hurricane Dorian caused water to go 18″ above the floor

The Rest of the Island

Ocracoke Village’s 9.6 square miles, located on the southern part of the island, is only a small part of the Island.

A map of Ocracoke Island showing key locations, including ferry docks, parking areas, and beach access points, with labels indicating the surrounding body of water and landmarks.

The rest of the island is almost completely undeveloped and maintained by the National Park Service.

Outside the village, there is a paved airstrip. There is also a campground and pony pens along the 13 mile drive. This drive leads to the ferry station to Hatteras Island at the northern tip of the island. A single two-lane road, Highway 12, runs the length of the island.

“Mandatory” Beach Scenes

A sandy pathway lined with green shrubs under a clear blue sky, leading to distant sand dunes.
Walking to the dunes. It was a bright morning, as evidenced by the sun glare.
A person walking along a sandy path leading to the beach, surrounded by tall grasses and dunes, under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds.
Walking through the dunes. Several places along the road allow off-road permitted access to the beach.
Scenic view of Ocracoke Island beach with gentle waves and clear blue sky.
This picture was the starting point for AI- generated image introducing this post.
A scenic view of Ocracoke Island's beach with gentle waves lapping at the shore under a partly cloudy sky.
If you are looking at this on a big screen, you can see a pelican. It’s flying in the middle of the image.
Waves gently lapping at the shore with a sandy beach and a coastal bird in the foreground.

The Pony Pens

One of the few accesses to the Pamlico Sound side of the island is at the Pony Pens.

According to lore, a ship wrecked and stranded a herd of Spanish mustangs on the island. The herd became the Wild Banker Ponies and part of Ocracoke history. They were used to haul fish and freight, and for lifesaving beach patrols.

Since 1959, the ponies have been penned for their protection and cared for the by the NPS. A 188 acre area on the Pamilco Sound side of the island has been dedicated to the ponies.

Dead tree limbs reaching skyward amidst vibrant green foliage under a clear blue sky.
Along the path away from the paddocks/ staples to an open section of the pens,
Dense foliage with intertwined branches and green leaves, representing the natural vegetation of Ocracoke Island.
The path passed through overgrown sections of the island.
A scenic view of the grassy marshlands and distant water on Ocracoke Island, framed by green shrubs under a clear blue sky.
A part of the pony pens with the Sound away in the background.

Official Tour Date: April 9, 2025

Watch for Part 3 coming soon!

View all my Outer Banks posts through the years, 1983-2025!

Click here to see full size, no watermark, images at www.ImagesByBill.us

Thanks for visiting.

April 23, 2025

One response to “The Tourist’s Guide to the Island (Ocracoke), part two”

  1. Explore Ocracoke Island: A Travel Guide, part 3

    […] Completing a Tour Guide of Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina (click here for part one and here for part two)… […]

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