The Corolla wild horses are the reason many families find Carova in the first place. About 100 Colonial Spanish Mustangs, believed to descend from horses brought to the Outer Banks by Spanish explorers in the 1500s, roam freely across the 4x4 beaches north of Corolla. Here's how to see them, on your own or with a guide, and how to do it the right way.
Where do the wild horses live?
The herd ranges over roughly 7,500 acres of beach, dunes, maritime forest and marsh between the end of the paved road in Corolla and the Virginia state line. Fences at both ends keep the horses out of traffic in Corolla and out of Virginia. That means you won't find them along the paved roads of Corolla. To see the horses in the wild, you have to go north onto the 4x4 beaches of Swan Beach, North Swan Beach and Carova.
How to see the wild horses for free
Seeing the horses doesn't have to cost anything beyond gas. If you have a true four-wheel-drive vehicle, you can drive the beach yourself:
- Drive north from the end of NC-12. Air down to about 20 PSI before the ramp and follow our Driving on Sand tips.
- Scan the beach, dunes and sand roads. Horses wander the shoreline, the lanes behind the dunes and neighborhood yards.
- Go early or late. Mornings and late afternoons are cooler and quieter, and the light is better for photos.
- Know where you can park. No permit is needed to drive the beach, but in summer you need a county permit to park on it. See Carova parking and permits.
The easiest way of all is to stay in Carova. Horses regularly wander past our homes, along the beach out front and into the shade under the houses. Browse our 4x4 homes.
