The Outer Banks lighthouses are the most recognizable landmarks on the barrier islands. The Outer Banks is home to five historic lighthouses, each with its own character, history, and views. This guide maps where every Outer Banks lighthouse is located, which ones you can climb, and how to plan a lighthouse road trip up and down the barrier islands.
Map of the Outer Banks Lighthouses
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The 5 Outer Banks Lighthouses
Currituck Beach Lighthouse (Corolla)
The northernmost light, located in Corolla. Known for its unpainted red-brick exterior. Climbable to the top for views over the Currituck Sound and the wild horse beaches.
Bodie Island Lighthouse (Nags Head)
Recognizable by its black-and-white horizontal stripes, just south of Nags Head near Oregon Inlet. Climbable seasonally, with a visitor center and marsh boardwalk.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (Buxton)
The tallest brick lighthouse in the United States, famous for its black-and-white spiral stripes. Normally the most popular climb on the Outer Banks, but it is closed for climbing through at least the end of 2026 during a $19.2 million restoration — the grounds, Museum of the Sea, and park store remain open, and the scaffolded, unpainted tower is a sight you’ll never see again once the work is done.
Ocracoke Lighthouse (Ocracoke Island)
The oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina, reachable only by ferry. Short and white, it cannot be climbed but is a classic photo stop on Ocracoke.
Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse (Manteo)
A reconstructed screw-pile lighthouse on the Manteo waterfront, easy to visit alongside other Roanoke Island attractions.
Which Outer Banks Lighthouses Can You Climb?
Currituck Beach and Bodie Island are climbable (seasonally and weather permitting). Cape Hatteras is closed for climbing through at least the end of 2026 for restoration. Ocracoke and Roanoke Marshes have never been open for climbing but are still worth visiting.
Planning a Lighthouse Road Trip
Planning a lighthouse trip on the Outer Banks is mostly about geography and timing. The five towers are spread across more than a hundred miles of barrier islands, from Currituck Beach in the north down to Ocracoke in the south, so seeing all of them in one day is a stretch. Most visitors pair the two or three closest to where they are staying: Currituck and Bodie Island make an easy northern pairing, while Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke anchor a southern route that includes a free ferry ride.
Climbing is the other thing to plan around. Currituck Beach and Bodie Island are the two you can actually climb this year, both seasonal, with the last tickets sold well before closing on busy summer days. Cape Hatteras is closed for climbing through at least the end of 2026 while it is restored, and Ocracoke and Roanoke Marshes are admired from the ground rather than the top. If climbing is the goal, go early, wear real shoes, and check the current season’s hours before you drive, because they change year to year and close entirely in the off-season.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lighthouses are on the Outer Banks?
There are five historic lighthouses on the Outer Banks: Currituck Beach, Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke, and Roanoke Marshes.
What is the most famous Outer Banks lighthouse?
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, with its iconic black-and-white spiral, is the most famous and the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States.
Related OBX Guides
Make a day of it: pair a lighthouse trip with our Outer Banks Beaches guide, go pier fishing, or see the wild horses in Corolla. Browse everything in our Things to Do in the Outer Banks guide.