Night driving restrictions on Hatteras and Ocracoke Island beaches begin May 1

Night driving restrictions on oceanside beaches within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore begin on Sunday, May 1, at 9:00 p.m.

From May 1 through July 31, priority off-road vehicle (ORV) ramps close at 9:00 p.m. and reopen the following morning at 6:00 a.m. All other designated oceanside ORV ramps close at 9:00 p.m. and reopen at 7:00 a.m.

Priority ORV ramps are ORV ramps 2, 4, 25, 27, 43, 44, 48, 49, 70 and 72. Soundside ramps, Inside Road, and Pole Road do not have night driving restrictions. A map of ORV access ramps can be found online at https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/maps.htm/.

Night driving restrictions help protect nesting sea turtles, which start to arrive in early May as well. The Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s turtle patrol program, which identifies recent nest sites along the shoreline, also begins on May 1.

While night driving restrictions are in place, visitors may still park their vehicles in parking areas and walk on the beach at night.

For current beach access information, go to http://go.nps.gov/beachaccess.