The site's authorized boundary contains 512.93 acres. The land varies in elevation from sea level to 20 feet.
Soils are sandy but can be productive wherever there is a buildup of organic material.
Erosion from wave action is resulting in a loss of parkland where the beaches have not been protected by rip-rap or groins. For many years the primary focus of park resources was associated with the first English attempt at colonization of the New World. The principal remnant from that era is the reconstructed Lane's Fort, an earthwork fortification believed to have been constructed for the protection of Governor Ralph Lane's 1585 colony. The fort is part of the 16.45-acre tract listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Order also recognized the agreement made between the Roanoke Island Association and the United States for the annual presentation of Paul Green's drama, The Lost Colony , in the open-air amphitheater at the site.