Beach users who fail to act responsibly provide individuals and agencies who would like to close or limit access to our beaches the ammunition needed to achieve their goal.  Click here for links to current beach use rules & regulations and for suggestions as to how you can help minimize beach user conflicts.  Please do your part to help keep our beaches open.

The National Park Service is responsible for maintaining beach ramps, opening temporary/seasonally closed beaches, and moving the markers for the 150 foot ORV corridore as beach conditions change.  The National Park Service has over 70 miles of seashore to monitor with a limited number of local personnel.  In fact, the personnel with the final say on scheduling maintenance and opening temporary/seasonal closures are located in Manteo , NC .  The personnel located in Manteo are not always aware of maintenance or beach access issues.  The best approach to addressing maintenance and beach access issues is to work with the National Park Service.  The Cape Hatteras Anglers Club has developed a standing committee designed to serve as a conduit for advising the appropriate National Park Service personnel of maintenance and beach access issues.  Click here for information on how to report ramp maintenance and beach access problems.

Despite initial assurances in 1952 that Cape Hatteras National Seashore would remain open and accessible to all user groups, there have been a variety of individuals and agencies who have advocated everything from limiting access to closing our beaches entirely (this includes pedestrian traffic).  Adhering to the beach use rules & regulations and treating other beach users with respect is our first line of defense against individuals and agencies who advocate closing or limiting access to our beaches.  Some attempts to limit beach access, however, require a more direct approach.  The Outer Banks Preservation Association is the primary organization in our area to respond to attempts to limit access to our beaches.  Click here for more information on responses to attempts to limit beach access and the status of beach access issues.