Policies for COVID-19
Posted on: Tuesday, March 8, 2022 - 4:22pm |
Education
Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend ferry service to Bear Island operates daily. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday hourly and Thursday through Sunday every 30 minutes from 9:30 until 5:30. Please see the 2022 ferry schedule link for the complete schedule of departure days and times. Ferry tickets are sold in person on a first-come, first-served basis; there are no reservations for the ferry. Please see ferry sales and boarding procedure for additional information. Tickets can sell out early in the day on weekends, plan to arrive early in the day to purchase tickets.
Visitor center, exhibit hall, trails, restrooms, and the boat ramp are open daily. Masks are optional in all park buildings.
2022 Annual passes are available at the visitor center for $90. Good for up to 6 ferry tickets or boat ramp use per day.
Bear Island bathhouse restroom facilities are open daily with potable (drinkable) water.
Beachside and sound side campsites are open. Beachside campsites can be accessed by ferry, when operating, canoe, kayak or private boat. Sound side campsites are accessible only by canoe, kayak or private boat. Please see the Reservations page to make a reservation. Open fires are not permitted anywhere on Bear Island.
The concession stand is OPEN daily through Labor Day weekend with drinks and snacks and is CASH ONLY.
Lifeguards are on duty as staffing permits through Labor Day weekend as well. Swimmers should use extreme caution as rip currents and strong currents can occur at any time.
Visitor center hours: 8am – 6pm, Gate Hours 8am – 7pm.
Last updated on: Friday, May 27, 2022
Contact the park
910-326-4881
hammocks.beach@ncparks.gov
Address
Visitor center
1572 Hammock Beach Road
Swansboro, NC 28584
GPS: 34.6710, -77.1429
Hours
►
- September to May:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- June to August:
8:00am to 7:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
►
- September to May:
Open daily:
8:00am to 5:00pm
- June to August:
Open daily:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
Ferry
► FERRY TICKET SALES AND BOARDING PROCEDURE INFORMATION
Educational programs
Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about Hammocks Beach State Park. Check the Events calendar for more information.
Educational materials about Hammocks Beach State Park have been developed for grades 6-8 and are correlated to North Carolina's competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The Hammocks Beach program introduces students to the life history of sea turtles, focusing on the loggerhead sea turtle. The program's content includes information about animal adaptation, the sea turtle's lifecycle, endangered species, natural and human threats to wildlife, resource management and stewardship. Accompanying the program is a teacher's booklet and workshop, an electronic copy of the teacher's booklet is available, free of charge, to educators.
Park Maps and Brochures:
