Location: 1101 Corolla Village Rd, Corolla, NC 27927
Height: 162 feet
Year completed: 1875
Distinctive features: Unpainted red brick exterior
Climbing: Open for climbing from mid-March to late November
Details:
Built in 1873 to fill the "dark space" between Cape Henry Lighthouse in Virginia and Bodie Island Lighthouse
First Order Fresnel lens visible for 18 nautical miles
220 steps to the top
Grounds open year-round, with occasional closures
Victorian-style lighthouse keepers' home built in 1876, now restored
Museum exhibits on the first two landings
Cost to climb: approximately $12
Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during climbing season
Here are the Outer Banks Lighthouses from North to South
Bodie Island Lighthouse
Location: Nags Head, NC (northern end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore)
Height: 156 feet
Year completed: 1872 (current structure)
Distinctive features: Black and white horizontal stripes
Climbing: Open seasonally
Details:
Third lighthouse built in this vicinity
First constructed on Pea Island in 1847, abandoned after 12 years
Second lighthouse built in 1859, destroyed during Civil War
Current lighthouse features a first-order Fresnel lens
Re-lit in 2013 after restoration
Climbing tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis
Surrounding grounds include a visitor center in old keeper's quarters
Nature trail through soundside forests and marshes
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Location: Buxton, NC
Height: 198 feet
Year completed: 1870 (current structure)
Distinctive features: Black and white spiral stripes, tallest brick lighthouse in North America
Climbing: Open from third Friday in April through Columbus Day
Details:
Second of three lighthouses built at this location
First lighthouse built in 1803, replaced due to structural issues
Current lighthouse moved inland in 1999 due to beach erosion
Uses two active 1000-watt lamps, visible for over 20 miles
Climbing hours: 9 am to 4:30 pm daily
Tickets: $8 for adults, $4 for seniors, children, and disabled
30 visitors per climb, every 10 minutes
No advance ticket sales, first-come, first-served
Ocracoke Lighthouse
Location: Ocracoke, NC
Height: Not specified
Year completed: 1823 (current structure)
Distinctive features: White exterior, shortest lighthouse in North Carolina
Details:
First light in the area built on Shell Castle Island, possibly as early as 1798
Current lighthouse built by Noah Porter of Massachusetts
Constructed of brick with an outer stucco covering
initially equipped with a "reflecting illuminating apparatus"
Oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina
Not open for climbing
