Live tide predictions for Corolla, NC. Times reference the Duck NOAA primary gauge a few miles south. Useful for surf fishing, paddleboarding in the Currituck Sound, and timing the drive up to the Carova 4x4 beach.
About tides at Corolla
Corolla sits at the north end of the paved Outer Banks, just south of the Currituck County 4x4 beach area. Tide behavior here closely tracks Duck FRF Pier (the nearest NOAA primary) with a roughly 3.2 ft mean range. The Currituck Sound on the west side of the island has minimal astronomical tide — water level there is driven almost entirely by wind direction and pressure.
Reference station
Tide times here are predicted from the Duck FRF Pier (8651370) primary gauge with a local offset of -5 to -10 minutes (tides arrive at Corolla slightly before Duck). For the interactive tide chart with high/low markers, use the parent station page.
Best tides for surf fishing in Corolla
Corolla surf fishing peaks on the falling tide for puppy drum, sea mullet, and bluefish in the deeper sloughs. Pier fishing at the Currituck County Pier is best on the slack and first hour of the rising tide.
Beach driving and tides in Corolla & Carova
The famous Carova wild-horse beach is just north of Corolla and is one of the few OBX beaches you can drive without a permit (visitor vehicles only — commercial vehicles need one). Time your drive for the falling tide because the soft sand between high-tide lines is where rentals get stuck. See our permits guide for the full breakdown.
Heading past the pavement? See the Carova tide chart and driving windows.
Need a 4x4 to reach the Carova beach? If you’ve booked a beach house north of the Corolla pavement, you’ll need a real four-wheel drive to get there. Beach4x4 rents permitted, sand-ready Jeeps and SUVs by the week out of Kill Devil Hills — all Currituck and Cape Hatteras beach permits and recovery gear included.
How to use the Corolla tide chart
The Corolla tide chart lists two high tides and two low tides each day, with the predicted time and the height in feet above mean lower low water (MLLW). Corolla sees a healthy mean range of about 3.2 feet — noticeably larger than the Hatteras Island towns to the south — so the difference between high and low water is easy to see on the beach. Because the swing is bigger here, timing your visit around the tide chart makes a real difference for both fishing and beach access.
If you are heading up to the Carova 4x4 beach, read the Corolla tide chart before you go and plan to drive on the falling tide. The firm, compacted sand below the most recent high-tide line is where you want your tires; the soft, dry sand higher up is where two-wheel-drive rentals get stuck. On the Currituck Sound side, remember that water level is driven far more by wind than by the astronomical tide, so the chart applies mainly to the ocean beach.
Corolla tide chart FAQ
What tide station does the Corolla tide chart use?
Corolla has no NOAA gauge of its own, so the Corolla tide chart is based on the Duck FRF Pier (station 8651370) a few miles south, with a small offset of about -5 to -10 minutes because the tide reaches Corolla slightly before Duck.
What is the tidal range at Corolla?
Corolla has a mean tidal range of roughly 3.2 feet on a semi-diurnal cycle, which is larger than the range on Hatteras Island to the south. Spring tides near the new and full moon run a bit higher, and neap tides near the quarter moons run a bit lower.
What is the best tide for surf fishing in Corolla?
Corolla surf fishing is generally best on the falling tide for puppy drum, sea mullet, and bluefish working the sloughs, while the Currituck County Pier fishes well on the slack and first hour of the rising tide. Check the Corolla tide chart alongside the wind forecast to pick your window.
Carova Beach Live Cam
North of Corolla where the paved road ends, the 4x4-only Carova area is home to wild horses — and to this live osprey nest cam, streaming 24/7. It is a quiet window into the wild northern Outer Banks while you check the Corolla tide times.
See more OBX cams on our live beach cams page.