Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Location: North Carolina

Services: Comprehensive Sign Plan | Wayfinding | Signage | Demo Plans | Message Schedule | Motor Guided Signs | Visitor Information

Client: National Park Service

Syfer Design collaborated with the National Park Service (NPS) to create a cohesive signage system for Cape Hatteras National Seashore, enhancing visitor wayfinding and communication while reinforcing the park's identity. Our scope included planning and designing identity, motorist guidance, and pedestrian information signs throughout the seashore, effectively marking boundaries and addressing wayfinding, regulatory, informational, and safety messages.

The project involved a thorough audit of over 100 miles of signage, leading to the development of message schedules, sign type menus, location plans, fabrication details, and demolition plans. It encompassed three historic lighthouses, 40 access areas, multiple trails and boardwalks, ferry stations, campgrounds, lifeguarded beaches, wildlife refuges, and highway signs.

All designs complied with NPS standards and local regulations, establishing guidelines for grids, layouts, colors, typography, and structural elements. We tailored sign structures to reflect the park’s character and incorporated local design elements, ensuring a cohesive system that enhances the overall visitor experience.

A girl waving beside a gate way sign for Cape Hatteras National Seashore, with the ocean and a sunset sky in the background.
A rocky shoreline with a calm body of water and a partly cloudy blue sky.
Series of wayfing directional signs at Cape Hatteras National Seashore providing motor guidance for Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, Bodie Island Lighthouse, campground, boat ramps, U.S. Coast Guard, regulations, speed limit, and parking.
A tall, black and white striped lighthouse viewed from below against a cloudy sky, with a building at its base featuring a peaked roof and brick chimneys.
Six signs on grassy area near the beach at sunset with clouds and birds in the sky. Top row: First sign points straight for Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, left for Coquina Beach, right for Bodie Island Lighthouse; second sign points to Bodie Island Lig
A sandy beach with tire tracks, grassy dunes on the right, and an ocean with small waves under a cloudy sky.
construction documents for Cape Point Campground, showing 'Closed for the Season' and 'Open for the Season' options, with specifications for digital print and paint matches, and inclusion of the National Park Service logo.
Technical architectural drawing of a sign and its construction details, including front, back, section views, and material specifications.
A top-down view of a spiral staircase with black metal railings and stairs, descending into a white cylindrical space.
Site plan map of Cape Hatteras National Seashore showing locations, landmarks, and parking areas along the coast with labels for key sites and navigation signs.
Color palette chart with sections labeled Project Colors, Identity Panel Colors, Visitor Information System Panel Colors, Road Sign Colors, Post Colors. Each section displays color swatches with color codes and descriptive labels such as ID Panel, Ty
A white lighthouse with a black top under a clear blue sky, surrounded by small white buildings and fenced area.
A detailed message schedule for Cape Hatteras campsite sign with multiple rows listing information about various camping sites, including site types, messages, and regulations, with color-coded sections for different categories.
View of a beach with sand dunes, ocean waves, and residential buildings along the coast under a clear blue sky during sunset or sunrise.