Not without paying for a permit you won’t.
Apparently a new ruling will go into effect Feb. 15 requiring that any ORV will require a permit. (And a 7 minute video… wth is that?) I think a few details are still being ironed out but the permit rule stands. I’m sure everyone has their own opinion on this ruling (my personal one being not so positive). This has been an ongoing fight for the last few years.
The ORV access is one of the main selling points of the OBX to a large group of people/fisherman and at such a bad economic time… this will harm the local economy and paychecks of toursits and locals alike. Now don’t get me wrong, nothing in the world could ever stop me from plotting every second of my life towards enabling me to move visiting the OBX, but not all visitors feel the same way. Between gas costs, the high costs of lodging, all sorts of fees and passes and permits… hell, even the toll road has gone from $3 to $6 dollars in the last 12 months. It’s becoming more economic to take an all expenses paid trip out of the country!
But obviously, going to extremes to protect certain species that are just absolutely not found anywhere else in the world is far more important than citizens being able to buy groceries or pay their mortgage. And seriously… the bird habitat that exists around the area of the Bonner Bridge just absolutely won’t come back after building a new bridge!!!! They may have done it the first time but they are fickle creatures!!! Anyone who actually promotes ORV’s wants to kill all the sea turtles and ospreys! (Side note – there should be a SRCSM button the same way there is a Shift or Caps Lock).
Anyway… form your own opinion. Here are a few articles if you are interested in further reading. And hopefully, my charger comes in the mail tonight so I can actually update about my wonderful trip earlier this month=).
- Come The New Year, We Will Pay To Drive On The Beach (Island Free Press)
- The Seashore’s Offroad Vehicle Rule Is Now Final (Island Free Press)
- New Limits Planned for Hatteras Beach Driving (Blue Ridge Now)
- Final Rule Posted For Viewing on ORV Use at Cape Hatteras National Seashore (nps.gov)
- Hatteras Beach Drivers Will Have To Pay Fee, Watch Video (Virginian Pilot)
For more general information about the beach access, please visit:
Also, check out the following video:
Piping Mad: Fair People at the Mercy of a Government Gone Fowl from Kevin Hicks on Vimeo.
