Dunes and beach of North Core Banks at Cape Lookout National Seashore

North Core Banks is the most northern of the three barrier islands that make up Cape Lookout National Seashore. Many people refer to it as Portsmouth Island, though technically Portsmouth Island is at the most northern tip of North Core Banks. Portsmouth Island is technically an island because it is surrounded by tidal flats that when flooded actually separate it from the rest of North Core Banks. When the tidal flats are dry, North Core Banks and Portsmouth Island appear to be one body of land. (A tidal flat is an area of land that gets flooded by a higher-than-average tide, but it is so low lying that when the tide recedes the water gets left behind and forms what are essentially shallow lakes or ponds.)

North Core Banks runs northeast to southwest and stretches for 22 miles. The east side faces the Atlantic Ocean while the west side faces Core Sound. As with all the islands in the park, North Core Banks can only be reached by boat. Driving is allowed on the beaches, and if you have a 4-Wheel Drive vehicle or an ATV you can bring it over on a ferry from Atlantic, North Carolina. Prices start around $130. While there are no rules against taking a 2-Wheel Drive, don’t do it. You will get stuck in the sand. You also might want to think twice about All Wheel Drives unless they have high clearance.

North Core Banks is home to the Portsmouth Village Historic District, a town that has been abandoned since 1971. Many of the buildings have been restored and some are open to the public. Unfortunately, there is no way reach Portsmouth Village from Cape Lookout National Seashore. Believe it or not, the only way to get there is from Ocracoke Island, part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a park that is a 250-mile drive farther north or a 2.5-hour ferry ride from Cedar Island, which is 35 miles north of Harkers Island where the park’s visitor center is located.

Getting There

Beaches

Camping

Driving on the Beach

Fishing

Portsmouth Village Historic District

Shelling

Waterfowl Hunting

North Core Banks Map (click to enlarge)

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