When to go
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Spring
Mild and breezy, with cool ocean water and the ferry season beginning around mid-May.
Pack Sun protection, water, and a wind layer for the open boat ride.
Summer
Hot and humid, with the busiest ferry weekends and the warmest swimming.
Pack Sun shirt, lots of water, and everything carried in, since Bear Island has no stores.
Fall
Warm early, then cooling, with quieter beaches and a shortening ferry schedule after Labor Day.
Pack Layers, sun protection, and a check on the reduced fall ferry days.
Winter
Cool and quiet, with the ferry not running and Bear Island reachable only by private boat.
Pack Warm layers and a plan for paddling or boating, since the ferry is off-season.
Top things to do
Bear Island ferry
The signature experience: a passenger ferry from the mainland visitor center to undeveloped Bear Island, with more than three miles of empty Atlantic beach on the far side.
Bear Island beach and dunes
A wild barrier-island beach with high dunes, maritime thicket, shelling, and sea turtle nesting in summer. There are no concessions, so carry in everything you need.
Marsh paddle trails
Marked paddle trails wind through the salt marsh between the mainland and Bear Island, a quieter way to reach the island when the ferry is full or off-season.
Anchor the day around Bear Island ferry
Lock the boat, ferry, tide, or water access first, then fit the route list around that schedule. For one day in Hammocks Beach State Park, make Bear Island ferry the non-negotiable, add Bear Island beach and dunes only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Marsh paddle trails as the flexible finish.
- 1Start with Bear Island ferry: The signature experience: a passenger ferry from the mainland visitor center to undeveloped Bear Island, with more than three miles of empty Atlantic beach on the.
- 2Add Bear Island beach and dunes: A wild barrier-island beach with high dunes, maritime thicket, shelling, and sea turtle nesting in summer. There are no concessions, so carry in everything you need.
- 3Use Marsh paddle trails as the optional finish, not as a reason to rush the whole day.
Plan your trip
Turn Hammocks Beach's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around access
Plan the transfer before the trail list.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Hammocks Beach State Park. Tune the route, pack weight, weather margin, and overnight setup after the access plan is real.
What to pack
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Hammocks Beach State Park packing list
0 of 16 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Decide what Hammocks Beach State Park asks of your kit before you start checking boxes.
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
- First constraintHydration and exposureWater, Electrolyte mix, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, 4 more
- Load choicePack and carry systemBackpacking pack
- If overnightSleep and shelterBackpacking tent, Sleeping bag, Sleeping pad, 1 more
- Season checkLayers for conditionsMoisture-wicking base layers
Checklist mode
16 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
- Dates and season are set.
- Primary route, campground, or lodge is chosen.
- Water, footwear, and overnight needs are sized.
One researched pick
The first gear decision for Hammocks Beach
A properly fitted paddling PFD is the first purchase to settle before the boat, dry bag, or accessories.
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THE PADDLING PICK
Onyx MoveVent Dynamic
- Approval
- USCG Type III
- Back
- Mesh lower back, sits above kayak seats
- Ventilation
- Vented chest and shoulder channels
- Pockets
- Zippered front pocket, lash tab
- Sizing
- XS/S through XL/2XL, women's cut available
The MoveVent Dynamic is the vest that solved the real PFD problem: people own one and leave it in the car. The mesh lower back sits above a kayak or SUP seat, the arm cuts clear a full paddle stroke, and the venting keeps it tolerable in July. A life jacket only works if you wear it, and this is the one people wear.
- Mesh lower back works with kayak seats and SUP kneeling instead of riding up
- Ventilated panels keep it wearable through a hot afternoon
- Sizing runs athletic; broad-chested paddlers should size up
Best for
Kayakers and paddleboarders who want the vest they will actually keep on, at a family-friendly price.
Gear for Hammocks Beach
The buying guides that match what Hammocks Beach asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
Where to stay
For the full experience, reserve a primitive Bear Island campsite and take the ferry across, but pack as if there is nothing on the island, because there is not. Day visitors and anyone who wants a bed should base in Swansboro, a short drive from the mainland visitor center, which has lodging, food, and supplies. Emerald Isle and the southern Outer Banks beaches are nearby alternatives.
Camping reservations
Camping reservations
Bear Island camping is primitive and reached only by ferry or boat.
Camping at Hammocks Beach means camping on Bear Island, a primitive barrier-island site with no electricity, no running water beyond non-potable pumps, and access only by the park ferry, paddling, or private boat. Check in at the mainland visitor center first.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
North Carolina State Parks campsites are reserved through the state ReserveAmerica system. Bear Island campers must also buy ferry tickets and check in at the visitor center, with no late arrivals.
- Bear Island tent sites run about $20 per night including a nonrefundable reservation fee; group camping is about $50.
- Campers must also pay for a roundtrip set of ferry tickets in addition to the camping fee.
- There are no stores on Bear Island, so carry in all water, food, shade, and gear, and pack out all trash.
Where to book or verify
North Carolina State Parks reservation information through ReserveAmerica.
Official park page with ferry schedule, fees, and camping details.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Bear Island primitive sites
Details- Booking
- Reserve through the North Carolina ReserveAmerica system.
- Season
- Primarily ferry-accessible spring through fall; off-season access is by boat only.
- Sites
- Primitive tent sites and group sites on the barrier island with no hookups.
- The only camping in the park. Treat it as a fully self-supported barrier-island trip.
Getting there and practical info
Make the transfer plan before the trail plan.
Weather windows, boat schedules, flight buffers, and backup days shape what is realistic.
Getting there
Get to Hammocks Beach State Park by solving the transfer first.
- Access rhythm
- Transfer time matters
- Region
- North Carolina
Shuttle access
The mainland visitor center sits near Swansboro on North Carolina's southern coast, off NC 24 between Jacksonville and Emerald Isle.
Transfer plan
Drive to the visitor center, park there, and take the passenger ferry to Bear Island.
Transfer plan
Outside the ferry season, the island is reachable only by private boat or by paddling the marked marsh paddle trails.
Pair this with lodging: the best base is the one that protects the departure window, pickup point, or weather buffer.
Can you photograph here? Permit and drone rules
The NC Film Office assists but does not permit; commercial shoots in state parks need a two-step film permit through the park superintendent, usually with minimal fees.
- Permit
- Usually fine for personal shoots; commercial or large productions can need a permit
- Drones
- Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
- Land
- Yes: you can photograph what is visible from public space in the US
From our photography sister site, Aperture Authority. Verified 2026-07-01.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Bear Island at Hammocks Beach State Park?
Most visitors take the park's passenger ferry from the mainland visitor center, a roughly 20-minute crossing that runs daily through Labor Day and on a reduced schedule into fall. When the ferry is not running, you can reach the island by private boat or by paddling the marked marsh paddle trails.
Can you camp on Bear Island?
Yes, but only at primitive sites with no electricity or potable water, reached by ferry, boat, or paddle. Reserve through the North Carolina system, check in at the mainland visitor center, and carry in everything you need, since the island has no stores.
Is there a fee for Hammocks Beach State Park?
There is no park entrance fee, but the Bear Island ferry costs about $10 per adult and $5 for children and seniors for a round trip. A North Carolina State Parks annual pass covers the ferry for up to six people.