Confirm current access status at NPS Cape Hatteras beach access before you drive.
Where It Is
Ramp 63 is on the north end of Ocracoke Island, about three miles south of the Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry docks and a few miles north of the pony pens. It is a graded ramp straight off North Carolina Highway 12, the road that runs the length of the island. It is the newest ramp on Ocracoke, opened in June 2016 and paid for with ORV permit fees.
The Route
North of the ramp is a year-round ORV route up to Ramp 59. To the south the route ends just past the ramp; the next one starts a mile northeast of Ramp 67.
Ramp 63 is a non-priority ramp: open to vehicles 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. from May 1 to November 15, and around the clock from November 16 to April 30. Island Free Press has warned that this beach can be impassable at high tide; it drives best near low tide.
What’s Typical Here
Fall brings red drum and bluefish to the Ocracoke beaches. For the island’s reports and live water, see the Ocracoke fishing report.
The Read
The north end gets less traffic than the beaches near the village, but it depends on the road. When ocean overwash closes North Carolina Highway 12 above the pony pens, Ramps 59 and 63 cannot be reached at all, so check the road before you take the ferry.
Access Requirements
NPS ORV permit required ($50 for 10 days, $120 for the year, sold online at recreation.gov). See the ORV permit walkthrough for details.
Need a 4WD for Hatteras or Ocracoke?
Our rental company, Beach4x4, runs weekly beach-ready Jeeps, SUVs and full-size 4WD pickups with both beach permits, recovery gear, tire gauge, and compressor included — and the same rental rides the Hatteras–Ocracoke vehicle ferry (free through 2026).
Parking and Walk-On Access
No parking lot is listed for Ramp 63. The nearest documented lot is at Ramp 59, with room for 18 cars and two large vehicles.
Current Closure Status
The Park Service closed every ramp on the seashore after the late-September 2026 nor’easter; Ramp 63 was open again in both directions as of October 30, 2026.
Closure status changes weekly during nesting season (typically March through August) and after major storms. Always check the live NPS status before you drive:
