Beach Access Ramp 2 is a beach in Dare County, North Carolina. It lies in or next to Cape Hatteras National Seashore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Wanchese, about 7.4 km (4.6 mi) away (Beach Access Ramp 2 lies E of town).
From the National Park Service
Ramps are subject to closure. For the most current status of beach access ramps, go to https://go.nps.gov/beachaccess .
Beach Access Ramp 2, located on the southern end of the Coquina Beach parking area, provides pedestrian access to the Atlantic Ocean beaches near the Coquina Beach Day Use Area. Two outdoor exhibits, "Know Before You Go" and "Islands on the Move," explore the topics of ocean swimming safety and barrier island migration.
Parking is available to the north of the pedestrian access. Off-road Vehicle Use For beaches open to off-road-vehicle use, an off-road vehicle permit is required. Annual permits (from date of purchase) are $120 and 10-day permits are $50. Vehicles must be licensed, insured and registered; you must present your driver's license and vehicle registration. Permits must be purchased online at Recreation.gov
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Beach Access Ramp 2 the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 60° ENE | 8:22 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 119° ESE | 4:53 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 43m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 34m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 45m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Beach Access Ramp 2, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:50 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:55 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:55 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:01 AM – 4:11 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:04 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:27 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:27 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.78 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 70 | 69 | 70 | 76 | 84 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 87 | 83 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | 25 | 22 | 32 | 43 | 49 | 63 | 70 | 71 | 62 | 47 | 38 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.2 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is OREGON INLET MARINA, 3.9 km (2.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Beach Access Ramp 2, closest first.
Beach
Lighthouse
BeachBeach
Lighthouse
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Beach Access Ramp 2?
What time is golden hour at Beach Access Ramp 2?
Where does the sun rise and set at Beach Access Ramp 2?
Can you see the Milky Way from Beach Access Ramp 2?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Beach Access Ramp 2?
How far is Beach Access Ramp 2 from Wanchese?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.