Haunted Outer Banks Locations

The treacherous waters off the Outer Banks have earned the nickname 'Graveyard of the Atlantic' for good reason. Over 5,000 ships have met their end here, their crews dragged down to watery graves. The spirits of these sailors are said to walk the beaches at night, forever searching for rescue.

Blackbeard the pirate made his final stand at Ocracoke Island in 1718. After being beheaded, legend says his headless body swam around his ship three times before sinking. His ghost is regularly spotted on Ocracoke, and his spectral light is said to mark the location of buried treasure.

The mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke, America's first great unsolved mystery, adds another layer of supernatural intrigue. The 117 colonists who vanished without a trace in 1590 are said to still haunt Roanoke Island, and the word 'CROATOAN' carved into that tree echoes through time.

The isolated nature of these barrier islands, combined with centuries of tragedy and violence, has created a concentration of paranormal activity. Lighthouse keepers, lifesavers, and islanders who died in hurricanes all contribute to the ghostly population of the Outer Banks.