Hammocks Beach State Park

Hammocks Beach State Park near Swansboro, North Carolina (Onslow County), covers about 1,611 acres (650 hectares), mostly the barrier island of Bear Island. The island is about 4 miles (6 km) long and has a dune system, a remnant of maritime forest and salt marsh. The state took over the island in 1961 from the North Carolina Teachers Association and established the park; Bear Island has been a National Natural Landmark since 1980. In World War II the Coast Guard used it to watch for German submarines.

You can reach the island only by passenger ferry from the mainland (about 15 minutes through Cow Channel) or by kayak or canoe. The ferry normally runs from April to October and is currently closed for the season (as of October 2026); the park publishes the schedule. On the island there is a bathhouse and primitive tent sites with showers; no lifeguards are on duty. A private concessionaire rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards and also offers guided tours. The mainland visitor center is open year-round. Since the 1990s, shifting sand and hurricanes have made Cow Channel hard to navigate at low tide.