Cape Point reopens to off-road vehicles

The National Park Service today reopened Cape Point to off-road vehicles. The area has been closed since April 2 for nesting shorebirds and sea turtles.

The sea turtle nest that had been restricting ORV access was excavated, and the protection area removed this morning, Aug. 26.  The area is now open to ORV traffic from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily.  The Bypass Road is also open.

Motorists should be watchful when passing a second sea turtle nest located 0.5 of a mile south of Ramp 44 with an ORV corridor behind the nest.

From May 1 – Nov. 15, ORV traffic is prohibited from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m.  The exception is from Sept. 16 – Nov. 16 when ORV routes will reopen to night driving when no turtle nests remain on that route, or portion of that route.

For up-to-date information on currently open or closed areas, check the Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Google Earth maps at: http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/googleearthmap.htm