Cape Hatteras National Seashore protects more than 70 miles of North Carolina’s Outer Banks from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island. Established as the first national seashore in the United States, it preserves barrier islands shaped by shifting dunes, dangerous currents, storms, and a long maritime history that earned Cape Hatteras the name Graveyard of the Atlantic. Historic lighthouses and lifesaving sites reflect that past, while the seashore also safeguards important wildlife habitat, including wintering grounds for migrating waterfowl. Known as well for fishing and surfing, it has also faced modern conflicts over off-road vehicle access and protection of nesting birds and sea turtles.