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Venture to Bear Island and reward yourself with
vivid memories of one of the most unspoiled beaches
on the Atlantic coast. Accessible only by passenger
ferry or private boat, there's just one thing
at Hammocks Beach that's crowded?the list of things
to do.
Stroll the beach with laughing
gulls and sandpipers. Cast a baited hook into
endless rows of foaming breakers. Discover tiny
specimens of marine life in tidal pools and mudflats.
Use a camera or paintbrush to capture the green
and gold grasses that color the salt marshes.
Spend the night among the sand dunes, or simply
bask in the sun and do nothing at all.
 Secluded
and tranquil, free from intruding commercialism,
Hammocks Beach may not be for everyone, but the
island is a retreat for people who welcome the
challenges of relentless sun, sand, sea and sky.
Park hours
September-May, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
June-August, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day
Park office hours
September-May, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
June-August, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Closed Christmas Day
Website: http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/habe/home.html
 Camping
Primitive campsites are located
near the beach and the inlet. Fourteen family
campsites accommodate six people each. Three group
campsites, available to affiliated groups only,
accommodate up to 12 persons each. Light and simple
is the way to travel as campers must carry all
provisions to the campsites from the beach or
ferry dock.
Due to sand migration in the
channel the ferry uses to transport visitors to
Bear Island, the ferry schedule has been changed.
Water and other facilities are
available on the island, except from mid-November
through mid-March when the facilities are winterized.
Fires are not permitted, and campers must remove
all trash. Camping is permitted on numbered sites
only and permits must be obtained from the park
office on the mainland. Reservations are required
for group sites. Campsites are open year round.
 Picnicking
Pack a picnic to enjoy under
a covered shelter that offers respite from the
sun. A concession stand provides cold drinks and
snacks.
Boating
Journey to the island by private
boat or marine taxi. Boats may be beached or tied
at the island bulkhead, but please do not dock
along the ferry pier. When traveling to the island
by boat, navigate along the ferry route; boating
in the inlet can be dangerous.
Canoeists and kayakers may reach
Bear Island and explore the marsh by way of a
designated canoe trail. Markers placed along the
route indicate points of interest along the way.
Fishing and Hunting
Puppy drum, flounder, trout
and blue fish are frequent catches on Bear Island.
Fishing at Hammocks Beach is a favorite pastime
in all seasons but is particularly good in the
fall.
History of the Area
Dugout canoes once traveled
the vast coastal waterways as woodland Native
Americans journeyed between the mainland and surrounding
islands. These Native Americans participated in
the Tuscarora wars against colonists in 1711 and
1713. Hostilities continued from hideouts around
Bear Island until the middle of the 18th century
when the Native Americans migrated northward.
 Dugout
canoes soon gave way to pirate ships. The inlets
along the coast and the shallow waterways behind
the barrier islands were havens for pirates. Here
they could prey upon merchant vessels and hide
while repairing their ships. Among the pirates
who frequented the area was the notorious Blackbeard.
Spanish privateers also terrorized the colonists.
For protection, the colonists built several forts,
including one near Bear Inlet, which was erected
in 1749 and has since disappeared.
Due to its location, Bear Island
has often played a role in the protection of the
mainland. During the Civil War, Confederate troops
on the island defended it against Union forces
occupying Bogue Banks. The island again assumed
military importance nearly a century later when,
during World War II, the Coast Guard used it to
secure the coast and monitor German U-boat activity.
Early in the 20th century, Dr.
William Sharpe, a neurosurgeon of New York, came
to Bear Island to hunt. His love of the island
prompted him to acquire it for his retirement.
Sharpe intended to will the property to John Hurst,
his longtime hunting guide and friend, but Hurst
persuaded him to donate it to the North Carolina
Teachers Association, an organization of African
American teachers. In 1950, the group assumed
the deed to Bear Island and attempted to develop
the property. Limited funds and the island's remoteness
rendered their efforts unsuccessful. In 1961,
the association donated the island to the state
of North Carolina for a park. Initially planned
as a park for minorities, Hammocks Beach State
Park opened for all people following the Civil
Rights Act of 1964.
Huggins Island, located just
east of Bear Island in the mouth of Bogue Inlet,
is a 225-acre island visible from downtown Swansboro.
The island consists of 115 acres of upland area
surrounded by 96 acres of lowland marsh. The island's
varied natural habitats and cultural resources
contributed to the its inclusion in the state
parks system.
Huggins Island is home to a
maritime swamp forest, which is listed as a Globally
Rare and Significant Area. Huggins Island has
a rich history, from Native American fishing and
hunting grounds, to being home to a Confederate
six-cannon battery in 1861-62. Its commanding
view of Bogue Inlet and the town of Swansboro
was an obvious strategic value. For visitors familiar
with Hammocks Beach State Park, Huggins Island's
thick, dense maritime forest is a stark contrast
to Bear Island's sandy beach and open dunes bursting
with sea oats.
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