Shackleford Banks Photo Quest

Join us for a guided photography tour between 8:45PM to 12:00PM on Shackleford Banks. Visitors will be encouraged to photograph different objects and landscapes during the walk. Flowers crabs horses grass-covered dunes or a rising tide may be your inspiration. This prog......More

Join us for a guided photography tour between 8:45PM to 12:00PM on Shackleford Banks. Visitors will be encouraged to photograph different objects and landscapes during the walk. Flowers crabs horses grass-covered dunes or a rising tide may be your inspiration. This program is for avid photographers interested in nature photography. You will need to bring your own camera gear. The National Park Service will not provide cameras. Visitors will be walking along the beach sand dunes and in the marsh. Sturdy closed toe shoes are recommended.Difficulty: This program is considered moderate. We will be climbing dune hills walking in loose sand soundside marsh walking through shallow water and mud flats. We will walk at a moderate pace and then stop in various locations for photographic opportunities. Duration of the program will be 2 hours with a total walking distance of approximately 1-1 ½ miles.Cost: There is no cost for the Program however each participant will need to purchase a ferry ticket to Shackleford Banks leaving from Harkers Island. They must make a roundtrip ferry reservation in advance via Island Express Ferry Services.com.Amenities: There are no amenities on the East end of Shackleford Banks.Weather: The program will be canceled 24 hours in advance if the forecast calls for heavy rain or lightning.Footwear: Closed toe walking shoes (that you do not mind getting wet) are necessary to protect your feet from cacti sand spurs and oysters.Suggested items to bring:● water in a reclosable bottle● snacks● sturdy close-toed walking shoes that can get wet salty & dirty and will protect from cactus sand spurs & sharp oyster shells while wading (no flip-flops)● hat● sunscreen● bug repellent● rain jacket● Camera with zoom or telephoto len● Can-do spirit and sense of adventure

Starlight Cruise to Cape Lookout Lighthouse

Join a park ranger for a starry night beside the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. The park ranger will give a program about different constellations, stories about using the stars for navigation, and more. Enjoy the first International Dark Sky Park on the East Coast. Visitors ......More

Join a park ranger for a starry night beside the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. The park ranger will give a program about different constellations, stories about using the stars for navigation, and more. Enjoy the first International Dark Sky Park on the East Coast. Visitors will experience the night skies with the sound of the waves crashing along the shore. Island Express Ferry Service will be taking visitors from Harkers Island Visitor Center to Cape Lookout Lighthouse by passenger ferry. Ferry passengers will disembark from the starlight cruise for a laser-pointed tour of the night sky by a park ranger. Visitors should bring chairs, bug spray, jackets, and red-light flashlights. The program will be around the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, where chairs are not available. Restrooms are available at the Light Station Visitor Center and at Harkers Island Visitor Center. This program is weather dependent. If rain or wind is predicted, the event will be canceled.

Visitors will catch the Island Express Ferry from Harkers Island Visitor Center

Starlight Cruise to Cape Lookout Lighthouse

Join a park ranger for a starry night beside the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. The park ranger will give a program about different constellations, stories about using the stars for navigation, and more. Enjoy the first International Dark Sky Park on the East Coast. Visitors ......More

Join a park ranger for a starry night beside the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. The park ranger will give a program about different constellations, stories about using the stars for navigation, and more. Enjoy the first International Dark Sky Park on the East Coast. Visitors will experience the night skies with the sound of the waves crashing along the shore. Island Express Ferry Service will be taking visitors from Harkers Island Visitor Center to Cape Lookout Lighthouse by passenger ferry. Ferry passengers will disembark from the starlight cruise for a laser-pointed tour of the night sky by a park ranger. Visitors should bring chairs, bug spray, jackets, and red-light flashlights. The program will be around the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, where chairs are not available. Restrooms are available at the Light Station Visitor Center and at Harkers Island Visitor Center. This program is weather dependent. If rain or wind is predicted, the event will be canceled.

Visitors will catch the Island Express Ferry from Harkers Island Visitor Center