Explore Our Outer Banks National Parks

Want to dive deeper into the history and biodiversity of our amazing Outer Banks national parks? As a visitor to Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial, you can enrich your visit by attending our parks’ ranger programs!

Ranger programs are a great way to learn about what makes our parks special, whether it’s learning how people of the past lived, discovering geologic processes at work, or seeing things you wouldn’t have found on your own. These programs include talks, guided walks, and hands-on activities. Programs are offered throughout the summer and early fall at a variety of locations throughout our parks.

Take a guided walk with a ranger at Fort Raleigh to explore the mystery of the “Lost Colony” of Roanoke. Fly a kite and test the Kitty Hawk winds like Wilbur and Orville at Wright Brothers. Discover the creatures onshore and offshore that call Cape Hatteras home. Hear stories about the Banker ponies and pirates of Ocracoke Island.

Ranger programs are open to visitors of all ages. No matter your interests, ranger programs offer something for everyone. Please note: Ranger programs are subject to change due to weather and staffing.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore: May 27 to September 4

Bodie Island Visitor Center

  • The Bodie Island Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Bodie Island Lighthouse Climbing

  • Dates & Times: Daily. First climb at 9 a.m. and final climb at 5:40 p.m.
  • Details: Climbing tickets are available only on the day of intended climb. Buy tickets at www.recreation.gov/ticket/252034/ticket/10087143 (tickets are available to purchase online beginning at 7 a.m. daily; tickets cannot be purchased in person).

Bodie Island Lighthouse Full Moon Climbs

  • Dates & Times: Full moons climbs are scheduled for July 3, Aug. 1, Aug. 30 and Sept. 29.
    • Aug. 1: Climbs at 8:30 p.m., 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
    • Aug. 30: Climbs at 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
    • Sept. 29: Climbs at 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
  • Details: Full moon climb tickets go on sale at 7 a.m. the day of climb, only at www.recreation.gov/ticket/252034/ticket/10253582. There are only eight people allowed per climb, so tickets sell out very quickly.

Bodie Island Educational Programs

Lighting the Way for 150 Years – Bodie Island Lighthouse

  • Dates: Daily from 11-11:30 a.m. (May 27 – Sept. 4)
  • Location: Meet on the back porch of the Keeper’s Quarters
  • Details: Discuss the details and history of this beautiful sentinel.

Shaping These Barrier Islands

  • Dates: Daily from 2:30-3 p.m. (May 27 – Sept. 4)
  • Location: Meeting on the back porch of the Keeper’s Quarters
  • Details: Wars, hurricanes, winds and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras. Join us to learn about some of these events and the changes they have made to these islands.

Bodie Light at Night

  • Dates & Times: Every Wednesday from 9-9:45 p.m. (Aug. 2 – Sept. 4)
  • Location: Park in the Bodie Island Lighthouse parking lot.
  • Details: Join park rangers under the night sky and the Bodie Island Lighthouse and discover what makes Cape Hatteras National Seashore such a special place. Bring bug spray!

Crabbing with a Ranger

  • Dates & Times: Tuesdays and Fridays from 9-10:30 a.m. (beginning June 6)
  • Location: This program occurs near the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Specific program location information will be provided at the time of registration.
  • Details: Ever wanted to try your hand at catching blue crabs? Rangers bring the gear, you bring the bait. Call 252-966-1761 to pre-register beginning the Saturday prior to the program. There is a six-minute walk to get from meeting location to the program location.

Hatteras Island Educational Programs

Lighting the Way for Over 150 years – Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 

  • Dates: Daily from 11-11:30 a.m. (May 27 – Sept. 4)
  • Location: Meet at the Hatteras Island Visitor Center Pavilion
  • Details: Discuss the details and history of this beautiful sentinel and learn about restoration efforts.

Shaping These Barrier Islands

  • Dates: Daily from 2:30-3 p.m. (May 27 – Sept. 4)
  • Location: Meet at the Hatteras Island Visitor Center Pavilion
  • Details: Wars, hurricanes, winds and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras. Join us to learn about some of these events and the changes they have made to these islands.

Totally Turtles

  • Dates: Monday-Friday from 12-12:30 p.m. (May 29-Sept. 1)
  • Location: Meet at the Hatteras Island Visitor Center Pavilion.
  • Details: Learn about sea turtles through interactive games and activities for all ages.

Kayak with a Ranger

  • Dates: Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30-10:30 a.m. (beginning June 8)
  • Details: Join a ranger to explore salt marshes and surrounding waters of the Pamlico Sound on this easy kayak program. Minimum age is 7. All equipment is provided. To register, you must call 252-513-2457 beginning the Saturday prior to the program.

Hatteras Light at Night

  • Dates: Tuesdays from 9-9:45 p.m. (beginning June 13)
  • Location: Park in the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse parking lot.
  • Details: Bring blankets and chairs for the evening of stars and stories on the grounds of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

Surf Fish with a Ranger

  • Dates: Wednesdays from 8:30-10 a.m. (May 31-Aug. 30)
  • Details: Ever wanted to try your hand at surf fishing? Rangers bring the rods, you bring the bait. Call 252-513-2457 to pre-register beginning the Saturday prior to the program.

Old Days at the Weather Station

  • Dates: Every other Wednesday from 2:30-3 p.m. (beginning July 12)
  • Location: Meet at the U.S. Weather Bureau Station in Hatteras Village.
  • Details: Come explore the historic U.S. Weather Bureau Station and hear amazing stories that intertwine with our own lives and major historic events.

Soundside Explorers

  • Dates: Fridays from 9:30-11 a.m. (June 2-Sept. 1)
  • Details: Join a ranger for this activity-based exploration of the Pamlico Sound. Registration is required. Call 252-513-2457 to pre-register beginning the Saturday prior to the program.

Museum of the Sea

  • The Museum of the Sea, located across from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, is open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

  • The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is not open; however, the grounds outside the lighthouse are open 24/7.

Ocracoke Island Educational Programs

Bird Walk

  • Dates: Tuesdays from 8:30-9:30 a.m. (beginning June 6)
  • Location: Meet at the beach access parking lot adjacent to the Ocracoke Campground.
  • Details: An introduction to the birds of Ocracoke. Meet winged residents and those traveling the Atlantic Flyway. Binoculars are available.

Ocracoke Lighthouse

  • The base of the Ocracoke Lighthouse is open for viewing daily from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Ocracoke Island Discovery Center

  • The Ocracoke Island Discovery Center is open daily from 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: May 27 to September 4

Educational Programs

Lost Colony Walking Tour

  • Dates: Daily from 11-11:30 a.m., 1-1:30 p.m. (May 27-Sept. 4)
  • Location: Meet outside the Lindsay Warren Visitor Center
  • Details: Delve into the history and mystery surrounding England’s first attempt to establish a colony in the new world.

The Freedmen’s Colony

  • Dates: Daily from 12-12:30 p.m. (May 27-Sept. 4)
  • Location: Meet in front of the Visitor Center.
  • Details: During the American Civil War, Roanoke Island became a haven for formerly enslaved people. Discover the successes and failures of the Freedmen’s Colony and the Civil War battle that shaped it.

Visitor Center

  • Fort Raleigh National Historic Site’s Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

    Wright Brothers National Memorial: May 27 to September 4

    Educational Programs

    Wind and Sand

    • Dates: Daily from 10-10:30 a.m., 11-11:30 a.m., 1-1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (May 27-Sept. 4)
    • Location: Meet outside the back doors of the visitor center
    • Details: Step back in history during this short walk to the actual site of the first powered flights. Discover why the Wright brothers chose Kitty Hawk for their flight experiments and what life was like on the Outer Banks.

    Wright Legacy

    • Dates: Daily from 12-12:30 p.m. and 2-2:30 p.m. (May 27-Sept. 4)
    • Location: Meet at the tent across the parking lot from the Visitor Center.
    • Details: Twelve seconds was all the Wright brothers needed on Dec. 17, 1903, to show the world humans can fly. Those twelve seconds were just the start of aviation history and the Wright legacy. Explore the rest of the Wright story as you discover the impact that Wilbur and Orville had on history, the legacy they left behind and how they are remembered in the world today.

    Visitor Center

    • The Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

      To stay up to date with programs and events our parks’ full online calendars below:

      Our Outer Banks national parks publish In The Parks each year to keep you up-to-date with stories, event happenings, and the latest developments at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial. 

      In the 2023 edition, you’ll read about the 200th anniversary of the Ocracoke Island Lighthouse, the ongoing restoration of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the new Freedom Trail at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, research into the Wright brothers’ flights in Kitty Hawk, and much more. Click the link below to download your free copy of In The Parks:

      In the Parks – 2023 (pictured below)