The seasonal ferry service to Bear Island from the mainland access of Hammocks Beach State Park will begin May 14, 2025, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation announced. The ferry service has been suspended since April 2024 due to a major water and sewer construction project at the island.
Primitive tent and group campsites at Bear Island are now open for reservations beginning the evening of May 14.
The ferry will run on an hourly basis Wednesday, May 14 through Sunday, May 18. There will be no ferry service Monday, May 19, and Tuesday, May 20. Hourly service will be offered Wednesday, May 21, and Thursday, May 22. Beginning Friday, May 23, the ferry will run every 30 minutes through Memorial Day. Beginning May 27, hourly service will be offered Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and every 30 minutes Thursdays through Sundays and holidays, until Labor Day. The ferry service starts at 9:30 a.m. daily and ends on 6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and 5 p.m. all other dates. The full schedule is available at ncparks.gov/habe/ferry.
All passengers will need a ticket to ride the ferry. A roundtrip ride is $10 for adult passengers (13 to 61 years old), $5 for children and seniors (3 to 12 years old; and 62 years and older). Children 2 years and younger can obtain a free ticket.
The 2025 NC State Parks Annual Pass and the 2025 NC State Parks Annual Pass with 4WD Beach Access cover up to four ferry tickets daily.
Camping fees are $20 per night (including a $3 nonrefundable reservation fee) for tent sites and $50 for group camping. All campers will also need to pay for one set of roundtrip tickets to use the ferry. Those who are staying multiple nights and have purchased one set of roundtrip tickets are allowed one free ferry roundtrip ride per day during the days in between their arrival and departure.
Pets are not allowed on the ferry. Carts or wagons are also not allowed, unless they are collapsible.
About North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation
The Division of Parks and Recreation manages more than 264,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19 million visitors annually.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.