Cape Lookout Lighthouse &The Cape Lookout Bight
"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now."
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Still an iconic statue representing Carteret County. Sadly, the Lighthouse itself is closed until further notice. Visitors can view the outside "View from the Top" video located in the lighthouse Keepers' Quarters is directly in front of the Lighthouse. There is no fee for entry.
Cape Lookout is the southern point of the Core Banks, one of the natural barrier islands on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina located in the Southern Outer Banks on The Crystal Coast. Core Banks and Shackleford Banks have been designated as parts of the Cape Lookout National Seashore.
There is no way to drive to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, unlike the other 6 lighthouses in NC. An authorized permittee of the National Park Service, e.g. H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions, is required to reach the Cape Lookout Lighthouse.
There are no wild horses at Cape Lookout. However, Shackleford Banks, the southern-most barrier island in the Cape Lookout National Seashore, is home to more than 125 wild horses. Venture out by H2O Captain boat to enjoy the rare privilege of watching wild horses that live without the help of humans. Some visitors combine these two adventures by going to both barrier islands—we call that private excursion Double Trouble: Shack Attack and a Lighthouse!!
The light station at Cape Lookout was authorized in 1804 and four acres of land were purchased from Joseph Fulford and Elijah Piggot the following February.
The first Cape Lookout Lighthouse was built in 1812, but at 96' feet tall, it was too short to be effective for mariners traveling through the dangerous offshore Diamond Shoals. The current Cape Lookout Lighthouse was built to replace the original structure and was officially lit on November 1, 1859.
It is a red brick tower, 163 ft high; a spiral iron staircase winds to the top. The first-order Fresnel lens displays a fixed light that can be seen 18 miles in good weather. This tower is the first of this new style to be built along the Outer Banks. It is one of the very few lighthouses that operate during the day. It became fully automated in 1950.
Fun Facts
The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is the only such structure in the United States to bear the checkered daymark, intended not only for differentiation between similar light towers but also to show direction. The center of the points of the black diamonds are in a north-south direction, while the centers of the white diamonds points east-west.
On May 20, 1861, North Carolina joined the Confederacy and all of the lenses were removed from the coastal lighthouses and navigational beacons to prevent Union forces from using the lights to navigate the coast. Union troops captured the nearby towns of Beaufort and Morehead City in 1862 and by the end of the next year, a third-order Fresnel lens was installed in the Cape Lookout lighthouse. On April 2, 1864, a small group of Confederate troops under the command of L.C. Harland snuck through Union lines and out to the lighthouse. Their attempt to blow up the lighthouse was unsuccessful, however, the explosion did destroy the lighthouse oil supply and damaged the iron stairs. With iron unavailable during the war, the damaged sections of the stairs were replaced by wooden ones. The Fresnel lenses from all the North Carolina lighthouses were found in 1865 in Raleigh. The lenses were shipped back to their original manufacturers to be checked out and repaired. In 1867, the temporary wooden stairs were replaced when iron once again became available after the war and the original first-order Fresnel lens was reinstalled.
A total of seven coastal lighthouses dot North Carolina's shoreline from the Outer Banks to the Brunswick Islands. Though long ago they protected adventurers from our treacherous shores, today they draw visitors for some of the most incredible views you will ever see when open.
Taking your family to visit all 7 Lighthouses in NC? Well...you can take your car to 6 of them, but our lighthouse, the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, is the southernmost lighthouse on the Crystal Coast along the Outer Banks and is only accessible by boat. H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions will get you there and back safely, and all passengers will be on cushioned seats to absorb all the big waves!
The seven North Carolina Lighthouses are:
• Currituck
• Bodie Island
• Hatteras
• Ocracoke
• Cape Lookout
• Oak Island, and
• Bald Head Island.
The Cape Lookout Bight is a magical place where the ocean meets Barden Inlet. Most often, H2O Captain places the boat just a few short yards from the ocean at the tip of The Bight. This is the Cape Lookout area that the commercial ferry and most private boaters do not go to! Enjoy a peaceful time there while swimming/wading on either side of this huge sandbar with shallows on the ocean side and a quick slide into 24’ of water on the protected side. Walking on either side will also provide you with some good shelling! Ask Captain Mark for your official H2O Captain Shelling Bag.
FAQs
Q. I’m excited. What is the best time of day to climb to the top of the Lighthouse?
A. Sadly, the Lighthouse is closed until further notice.
Q. What is the best time to visit the Cape Lookout Lighthouse?
A. Locals will inform you that the best times to visit the Lighthouse are during April and May, as well as September and October, when it is neither too warm nor too humid. The wild horses remain on the island all year long.
Q. Is the Cape Lookout Lighthouse suitable for day trips?
A. Yes, the Cape Lookout Lighthouse is perfect for day trips. It is located at the most southern point of the Outer Banks and the private excursion takes approximately 5 hours.
Q. Can I combine a visit to the Lighthouse and still see the wild horses?
A. Absolutely! Many visitors combine these two adventures by going to both barrier islands—we call that private excursion Double Trouble: Shack Attack and a Lighthouse!!
Q. What makes the Cape Lookout Lighthouse unique?
A. It is the only lighthouse in North Carolina that you cannot drive a car to. It is only accessible by boat.
For a well-prepared day’s adventure, explore the following topics on our site: