Looking for the best Kill Devil Hills campgrounds & RV parks? This guide covers every campground in the northern OBX zone — from the small private parks in KDH itself to the larger oceanfront resorts in nearby Nags Head and Kitty Hawk.
The Northern Outer Banks — Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head — is the most convenient region to RV. It’s the first landfall after the Wright Memorial Bridge, has the full range of groceries, hardware, restaurants, and attractions, and is the only region where you can camp without crossing the Oregon Inlet Bridge onto Hatteras Island.
Parks in this region
- Kitty Hawk RV Park RV Park · Kitty Hawk · hookups: Full · rate: $$ · pets: Restrictions apply · year-round: Yes
- OBX Campground Private · Kill Devil Hills · hookups: Full · rate: $$ · pets: Restrictions apply · year-round: Yes
- Oregon Inlet NPS · Nags Head · hookups: Mixed · rate: $28–$35 · pets: Restrictions apply · year-round: Yes
Why stay in this region
- Convenience. Full-service grocery, hardware, RV supplies, and big-box retail are all on the US-158 corridor.
- Attractions. Wright Brothers National Memorial, Jockey’s Ridge State Park (tallest natural sand dune on the East Coast), and the Nags Head fishing piers.
- Short beach access. Every park is within easy driving distance of public beach access points.
- Easy arrivals. No Oregon Inlet Bridge crossing required. Good first stop for first-time OBX visitors.
Best for
First-time OBX RVers, snowbirds looking for year-round operation, travelers who want full services nearby, and anyone who doesn’t want to deal with the narrower roads and weather exposure of Hatteras Island.
RV Parks in Kill Devil Hills & the Northern OBX
Oregon Inlet Campground is the outlier in this group: it is an NPS campground roughly 30 to 40 minutes south of Kill Devil Hills, immediately before the Marc Basnight Bridge, open all year, with 47 of its 107 sites offering electric and water. The other three are private parks in Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills.
See all parks in one place at the full OBX RV parks directory or on the Outer Banks RV parks map.
Explore Other OBX Regions
- Tri-Villages: Rodanthe, Waves & Salvo
- Hatteras Island: Avon, Buxton & Frisco
- Ocracoke: The Remote Ferry Destination
- Roanoke Island: Manteo & Wanchese
Plan Your Trip
- Hookups & Utilities: OBX Campground Comparison
- OBX Seasonal Strategy: When to Go
- OBX Environmental Survival Guide
- OBX RV Packing Checklist
- The Ultimate OBX RV Guide
- RV Camping Guide: Outer Banks
- OBX Travel Guide
Beach driving from the Northern Beaches
Municipal beach driving here is seasonal and town-specific. Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head both allow permitted driving on their beaches from October 1 through April 30; Kitty Hawk prohibits it entirely. Permits are issued by each town and are not interchangeable — a Nags Head permit is not valid in Kill Devil Hills, and neither is valid on National Park Service beaches, which require a separate Cape Hatteras ORV permit. Kill Devil Hills sells a seasonal permit and a short-term temporary permit; Nags Head’s seasonal permit is aimed at property owners. Check the current rules with the town before you air down, and see our Outer Banks beach driving guide and Cape Hatteras ORV permit guide for the full picture.
Reaching Carova and the wild Spanish mustangs
There are no RV campgrounds in Corolla or Carova — the closest practical bases are the private parks in Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills, roughly 30 to 45 minutes south of the Currituck beaches. Carova’s wild horses are reached only by 4x4 over the unpaved beach north of Corolla. Beach4x4.com rents locally if your vehicle isn’t permitted for sand.
reviews of Beach4x4.com are worth scanning before you book.
Northern OBX Attractions and Activities
The Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills marks the site of the first powered flights in 1903 and is one of the most visited historic sites in North Carolina. Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head is home to the tallest active sand dune system on the East Coast — up to 100 feet high — with hang gliding, sandboarding, and spectacular panoramic views. The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island (a short drive west across Croatan Sound) offers excellent marine exhibits. Duck, just north of Kitty Hawk, is an upscale village with excellent restaurants and a scenic boardwalk along Currituck Sound. Corolla, at the northern end of the paved road, has the Currituck Beach Lighthouse and access to wild horse viewing on the 4WD-only beaches north of town.
Getting to Kill Devil Hills and the Northern OBX
Most travelers reach the Northern OBX via the Wright Memorial Bridge from Currituck County (US-158) — the most direct route from Virginia, Norfolk, and points north. From the south or west, US-64 across the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge through Manteo connects you to the Northern Beaches via US-158. Both bridges experience heavy backups on summer Saturdays during turnover (typically 9 AM–2 PM); plan to arrive Friday night or Sunday morning to avoid the worst.
Once on the Northern Beaches, US-158 (the Bypass) and NC-12 (Beach Road) run parallel north-south through Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head. The Bypass is faster; Beach Road is scenic and slower. RVs handle both fine, but Beach Road’s signal density makes the Bypass the better choice for moving rigs. Drive times between the northern towns are short — Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head are mostly within about 10 minutes of one another.
Provisioning: Groceries, Propane, and Supplies
The Northern Beaches are the most service-rich part of the OBX. You’ll find full Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Publix stores, plus an ABC liquor store and several specialty markets. Hardware stores include Ace, Home Depot (just across the Wright Memorial Bridge in Point Harbor), and several local outfits. Propane fill and swap are widely available at gas stations and hardware stores. If you’re heading south to Hatteras or Ocracoke, stock up here — prices and selection get tighter past Avon.
Rainy Day Backup Plan
Atlantic storms move through fast on the OBX, but rainy mornings happen. Indoor backups on the Northern Beaches include the Wright Brothers National Memorial visitor center, the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island (about 30 minutes south), the Roanoke Island Festival Park living history museum, the Outer Banks Brewing Station for a long lunch, and several indoor amusement options like Diamond Shoals laser tag and the Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf indoor option.
Frequently Asked Questions — Northern OBX RV Camping
Which Northern OBX park is closest to the Wright Brothers Memorial?
Kitty Hawk RV Park is a 10-minute drive north.
Are any Northern OBX RV parks oceanfront?
The major Northern OBX private parks (Kitty Hawk RV Park and OBX Campground) are not oceanfront — you’ll drive 5–10 minutes to public beach access. For oceanfront RV camping, look south to Cape Hatteras KOA in Rodanthe.
Is Oregon Inlet Campground considered Northern OBX?
Geographically it’s the southernmost Northern-area campground — sitting just before the Marc Basnight Bridge to Hatteras Island. It’s grouped here because most travelers base there for Northern Beaches access; it’s our pick for an NPS option without committing to the long drive south.
What’s the closest grocery store to most Northern OBX campgrounds?
Harris Teeter and Food Lion both have stores in Kill Devil Hills on US-158 — within 10 minutes of every Northern OBX park.
Can I drive a 40-foot Class A on Beach Road (NC-12)?
You can, but the signal density and turning radius at intersections make US-158 (the Bypass) easier for rigs over 35 feet.
Are wild horses accessible from Northern OBX campgrounds?
Yes — the Carova wild Spanish mustangs are 30–45 minutes north in 4x4-only Carova, accessible from Corolla via the unpaved beach. You’ll need a 4x4 (rented locally or brought as your tow vehicle) to reach them.
Can I take a day trip to Hatteras Island from Kill Devil Hills?
Yes. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton is roughly 60 to 75 minutes south of Kill Devil Hills on NC-12 via the Marc Basnight Bridge, and Cape Point and the NPS campgrounds sit in the same corridor. Allow extra time for summer traffic and for any NC-12 restrictions.