Outer Banks Lighthouses

In the historic Corolla Village is located the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, a red brick structure reaching 162 feet into the sky. First lit on December 1, 1875 the lighthouse stands watch over the waters from south Virginia to the Bodie Island area. It has a first order Fresnel lens that light can be seen for 18 miles. With a 20-second flash cycle (on for 3 seconds and off for 17 seconds), the light can be seen for 18 nautical miles. Nearby on the grounds is the Double Keeper’s House and a small Keeper’s House which is a museum. The lighthouse is open to the public for climbing.  Once reaching the top a beautiful panoramic view of the village and surrounding waters is a fine reward after the 214 stairs climb. The lighthouse is located at 1101 Corolla Village Road at Currituck Heritage Park.

Bodie Island Lighthouse is on Highway 12 South and is pronounced “body” lighthouse. The Bodie Island Lighthouse at the Outer Banks has been under renovation for three years. Renovations where completed and on April 19, 2013 the first order Fresnel lens light was turned on again. The lighthouse was be reopened to the public for visitation including being able to climb to the top. Some restrictions apply: only 20 people at a time can climb the 214 stairs to the top; cannot wear sandals to climb and there is a maximum of 370 people a day.

The view from the balcony is a panoramic view of vast marshlands, the Pamlico Sound to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and to the south Oregon Inlet, the old Bonner Bridge, and now the new Basnight Bridge.

Bodie Island Lighthouse has horizontal alternating stripes of black and white and stands 156 feet tall. The lighthouse standing today is the 3rd lighthouse built at that location. The original one was built in 1847, then rebuilt in 1859. This second structure was destroyed during the Civil War. The current lighthouse was completed in 1872. With its first-order Fresnel lens the light flashes its 160,000 candlepower beam and can be seen for 19 miles.  On the grounds is a Keeper’s Quarters that is open to the public. The Bodie Island Lighthouse lights the southern coastal waters of the Northern Outer Banks.

Climbing hours are every 20 minutes, and start at 9:10 am daily. Tickets are required. Climbing tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens (62 or older), children 11 years of age and under, and the disabled. Climb tickets are available on a first come, first served basis and can only be purchased in-person at the site on the day of the climb.

On Hatteras Island the most famous of all is the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The lighthouse has the familiar black and white paint in a candy cane striped spiral pattern. It stands about 208 feet tall-the oldest brick lighthouse in the nation. The two 1000 watt lamps shine out over the Atlantic Ocean and can be seen for 20 miles. Near the lighthouse is the historic Double Keepers’ Quarter Building. The lighthouse is open to the public and for a fee visitors can climb to the top and walk around. The view from the top will take your breath away.

A big debate over moving the lighthouse due to the ever-encroaching ocean waves was a big island issue years ago. In the end the lighthouse was moved in 1999. It took just weeks to move the lighthouse the 2,900 feet south-southwest away from the to close ocean waters. Often called “the move of the century” and with almost the world watching, the move was a huge tourist attraction to the Outer Banks. It is now located 1600 feet away from the ocean waters. The original location is marked with the old foundation stones and engraved with the names of the lightkeepers in years past.

The massive stone blocks that were the base have been moved and inscribed with the lightkeepers names. They were placed in a semi-circle to form an outdoor theater called Keeper of the Light Amphitheater.

Climbing tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for senior citizens (62 or older), children (11 and under, and at least 42″ tall), and the disabled. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis and can only be purchased in-person at the site the day of the climb. Ticket sales open at 9:00 am and climbs begin at 9 am, running every 10 minutes with a limit of 30 visitors per climb.

The Ocracoke Lighthouse is located on the island of Ocracoke. It was built in 1823 and marks the inlet to Silver Lake. It is painted white and stands 70 feet tall, possibly the shortest of the five lighthouses of the Outer Banks. It has an out building and a Keeper’s Cottage on the ground with a white picket fence surrounding the area. Visitors can walk to the lighthouse but it is not open to the public and therefore can not be climbed. The Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest of the Outer Banks Lighthouses. The light beam can be seen 14 miles away.