Cape Lookout National Seashore map (click to enlarge)
Cape Lookout National Seashore is comprised of three barrier islands, or banks as they are called: North Core Banks, South Core Banks, and Shackleford Banks. All three are basically giant, shifting sand bars that can change drastically with any given storm. The banks were not even around when Columbus came to the Americas. In the early 1900s, Shackleford was connected to South Core Banks. Farther north, the lower 2-mile section of North Core Banks is often cut off from the rest of the island at the Old Drum Inlet. When it is closed, visitors can drive all the way to the end of the 22-mile long island. As of 2024, there is also an inlet that cuts off vehicle access to Portsmouth Island. Of course, things may well have changed by the time you read this article. Cape Lookout National Seashore is one of the most unstable geographical features in the world, more so than even a volcanic area.
See the following web pages for more information on activities at each island:
Drum Inlet in 2011 cut off the lower two miles of North Core Banks, Cape Lookout National Seashore
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Last updated on March 26, 2024
