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Experience Bald Head
A path opening toward dunes and a beach cottage

Beach accesses

Every doorway to the sand, mapped and described. A directory that grows one visit at a time, yours included.

Sunrise and sunset, island time

The island numbers its beach accesses, starting at 1 on the northwest side and wrapping the whole shoreline. This directory covers them one number at a time, and each entry lists only what's been confirmed first-hand, with the date it was last checked. Every cataloged access is pinned on the island map, and the form below feeds what you know back into the guide.

East Beach

Access 39pin approximate

  • Boardwalk
  • Sandbar
  • Tide pools

A short ride down Station House Way from Access 42, close to another bend in the road, and near the Shoals Club. A wooden walkway runs all the way from the parking area over the dunes and onto the sand. Parking at the access is limited, and carts quickly line both sides of the street at this popular spot. Like the other East Beach points, the water generally runs calmer than the south side, and it's shallower here, with a long, accessible sandbar. Access 39 also puts you near the tide pools that form at the point, a favorite with families; near the pools the sandbar can sit fully exposed. Be careful, though: shifting tides can overtake the pools and the bar fast.

Last updated July 5, 2026Full detailsOn the map
Sunrise at Access 42, surfboards on the sand

East Beach

Access 42

  • Sand path (no walkway)
  • Cart parking
  • Sandbar
  • Surfing

Arguably one of the best access points on the island, and the last East Beach access heading north before Middle Island. It sits on the wrap-around turn where Station House Way connects with South East Beach Drive. The parking lot is large but fills during the busy season. The access itself is sand only with no wooden walkway, and the sand gets extremely hot; wear something on your feet so you aren't stranded halfway up the dune with burning feet and an armful of beach gear. Conditions vary with the weather, but East Beach generally runs calmer than the south side, with a gradual depth and a sandbar an easy reach for a comfortable swimmer. The sandbar drops off at its north and south ends. A favorite for families, and this guide's favorite sunrise surfing spot.

Last updated July 5, 2026Full detailsOn the map

Know one we don't?

There are more than forty numbered accesses on the island and we're cataloging them one at a time. If you know an access by number, what's there (boardwalk, parking, outdoor shower, a good sandbar at low tide), or just that our notes are out of date, thirty seconds in this form makes the guide better for the next visitor.

Submissions are reviewed before anything is published, and each entry shows the date it was last confirmed.

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