Parking
At the trail entrance on Lighthouse Road, between Hatteras Island Ranger Station and Cape Point Campground; one marked accessible space and possible room for two more vehicles.
Overview
About Loran Road Trail
Why go
- A short, accessible walk on an asphalt road.
- The road ends at a path to the beach.
Heads up
- Parking is limited to a few vehicles.
- The measured trail stops before the sandy beach path.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Cape Hatteras map
Full mapElevation3–10 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
6 active Cape Hatteras alerts
- ClosurePartial beach closures in front of Buxton VillageSections of beachfront in front of Buxton Village are temporarily closed. - The closure is due to threatened oceanfront structures and Dare County’s beach nourishment project.Official details
- ClosurePartial beach closure in northern RodantheThe beach from the northern boundary of Rodanthe to the Rodanthe pier is closed to all access. - The closure is required because multiple threatened oceanfront structures pose risks to public safety.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Cape Hatteras Tour Guide
Your drive to Loran Road Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Cape Hatteras National Seashore. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this area
Buxton British Cemetery and Open Ponds Trail0:00 / 0:30
“You're approaching Buxton British Cemetery and the eastern end of Open Ponds Trail. The tiny, fenced cemetery holds two sailors lost during the 1942 U-boat attacks off Hatteras.”
Plays on the road 0.4 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Cape Hatteras Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Cape Point
- Cape Point Campground
- Old Lighthouse Beach and the Former Tower Site
- Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Grounds
- 67 audio storiesacross Cape Hatteras’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Brown Pelican, Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin, Bald Eagle, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 11 trails, 35 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Loran Road Trail
A short access walkLoran Road Trail is a 0.
Loran Road Trail is a 0.5-mile out-and-back on Hatteras Island, following an accessible asphalt road to a sandy path that leads to the beach. Allow about 15 minutes for the road walk; you can add the beach if you want more time by the water. It suits a quick stop or anyone who wants an easy approach to this stretch of shore.
The road behind the nameThe asphalt follows an old access road to a LORAN (Long-Range Aid to Navigation) tower. The U.S.
The asphalt follows an old access road to a LORAN (Long-Range Aid to Navigation) tower. The U.S. Coast Guard operated the tower from 1949 to 1981, helping ships equipped with the system navigate. The named trail ends where the sandy beach-access path begins, so the measured half-mile covers the firm road, not a walk along the beach. The route is nearly level; the change underfoot comes only if you continue onto the sand.
Getting thereStart on Lighthouse Road between Hatteras Island Ranger Station and Cape Point Campground.
Start on Lighthouse Road between Hatteras Island Ranger Station and Cape Point Campground. Parking is very limited: one marked accessible space and room for about two additional vehicles at the trail entrance. Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet. The accessible surface applies to the road; the beach path beyond it is sandy and is not part of the measured trail.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Cape Hatteras
489 sightingsBrown PelicanMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
64 sightingsTamanend's Bottlenose DolphinMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
35 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
225 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
59 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
112 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Cape Hatteras. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
