Outer Banks Wild Horses - How to Catch a Glimpse

Outer Banks Wild Horses / Outer Banks NC

Outer Banks Wild Horses - How to Catch a Glimpse

The famed Outer Banks wild horses are elusive and many visitors have hopes of finding them during their vacations. What can you do to up your chances of seeing, and maybe photographing, these amazing and rare creatures on your next trip?

Carova Beach

The Outer Banks wild horses are found almost exclusively in Carova. Carova is the northernmost community on the Outer Banks, north of Duck, and accessible only by four-wheel drive and ATV. There are no paved roads and no grocery stores in all of Carova Beach.

In fact, this unincorporated community is mostly a wildlife preserve for the horses and other wildlife visiting the beach. You don't need a permit to visit the beaches, but without a four-wheel drive vehicle, you'll definitely get stuck in the sand.

Carova Beach offers vacation homes from two-bedrooms to twenty-bedrooms for all family sizes and it's the premier place to visit on the Outer Banks if you're looking for a quiet escape from the world.

Wild Horses

While there's not a lot of "stuff" to do in Carova Beach, many tourists staying in neighboring Corolla and Duck choose to take local tours to Carova. These tour groups provide the vehicles and a local guide to help navigate the wild areas and the neighborhoods.

If you choose to venture out on your own, be sure to obey any posted signs about where you can and cannot drive. Many local plant and animal species make Carova Beach their home and vehicles may endanger them.

The wild horses are believed to be descendants of Spanish Mustangs brought to the New World in the 1500s. There aren't many left in the area and they are considered protected. You can usually find the horses around an abundance of plant life along the beaches. There are some natural wooded areas where the horses take shelter, but they frequently walk the beaches in front of many area homes.

Photographing the Wild Horses

If you get the amazing opportunity to see the wild horses, you'll definitely want to take pictures to capture the moment.

When you see them, it's important to remain quiet, move slowly, and give them plenty of space, particularly if they have young with them. If you're using your cell phone to take pictures, make sure your volume is turned off and any settings where your camera app makes a "click" or shutter noise is disabled.

Additionally, if you're using a regular camera, be sure to take some practice shots to make sure you know your settings well and can adjust the focus and other settings to factor in light and movement of the horses. Also, with your camera, make sure you know if your shutter is loud or quiet. Most camera’s shutter sound can't be changed, so if the environment is particularly quiet, the noise of the shutter may scare the horses. It may not, but it is important to be prepared.

Seeing the wild horses of the Outer Banks is on many bucket lists. They are increasingly difficult to find, but their numbers are slowly making a comeback. Be sure to pack sunscreen and bug repellent for your quest to find the horses.

Even if you don't get the opportunity to see them, you will surely enjoy your day visiting one of the most remote beaches on the Outer Banks.

Photo: Corolla Beach Music