Historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Site

This is the stretch of Old Lighthouse Beach where Cape Hatteras Lighthouse stood from 1870 until 1999. A ring of granite stones marks the tower’s former base; the striped lighthouse visible today is the same tower, moved about 2,900 feet west. There is no standing lighthouse at this stop. Come for a quick history stop, not another tower climb or a museum visit.

When it opened, the lighthouse stood about 1,500 feet from the ocean. By 1970, shifting shoreline had brought the water to roughly 120 feet from the base. In 1999, the tower and its seven historic station structures moved 2,900 feet west to escape erosion. The old tower’s floating foundation used yellow-pine timbers in fresh water over compacted sand, with brick and granite above.

Stand by the stone ring and look toward the current lighthouse; the ground between the two positions makes the move’s scale easier to picture. The broader beach is also known for surfing and shelling, so this can be part of a longer shoreline stop. Interpretive information and a restroom are available at the historic site. Old Lighthouse Beach has parking and a flat path to the water, but the walk from that lot to the stones and its accessibility weren’t confirmed.