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Public Opportunities
- Pea Island Visitor Center is open 9-5 daily during the summer months and 9-4 daily year-round. Friendly volunteers
are on hand to provide refuge, wildlife, or other information, schedule
you for a canoe tour, give you a bird list or refuge leaflet, or sell
you a book or refuge T-shirt! The
Coastal Wildlife
Refuge Society (the refuge support group) operates
a gift shop in the Visitor Center where you'll find nature and conservation
related books, t-shirts, jewelry and other educational items and gift
ideas. Be sure to stop by on your visit.
- Crabbing Rodeo each June!
- Interpretive Programs/Tours - The Refuge
Calendar of Events lists ongoing programs conducted by staff
and volunteers. There is a fee charged for guided canoe tours. Otherwise,
all public programs are offered free of charge. Requests for special
programs should be made by calling 252-987-1118.
- Environmental Education Programs are offered on request. Special
prices are given to educational groups for the guided canoe tours.
To schedule a program for a group, call 252-987-1118 or email: abbey reibel@fws.gov.
- Join us in the fall each year for Wings
Over Water.
- Trails- Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge offers two wildlife trails
that are open year round during daylight hours and are fully disabled-accessible.
Refuge Map (pdf file)
- North Pond Wildlife Trail is a half-mile, fully disabled accessible
trail which offers spectacular wildlife observation any season. The
best birding is during the fall and winter. The trail is located near
the Visitor Center which is approximately 3.5 miles south of Oregon
Inlet. Most visitors walk this trail to the end - a double-level tower
- and then retrace their steps to the Visitor Center and their vehicles. North
Pond Wildlife Trail Map (PDF).
- There is a service road that goes completely around North Pond. Energetic
outdoor folks may choose to wander all the way around; however, the
bugs are usually bad and most of the wildlife observation opportunities
are similar to those from North Pond Trail. The final 1.5 mile section
of the "loop" is along NC Highway 12 and can prove to be
unpleasant and unsafe for walking.
- Salt Flats Wildlife Trail is a slightly shorter trail on the north
end of North Pond that terminates at a disabled- accessible overlook
which provides viewing access to the Salt Flats area, as well as North
Pond. Salt
Flats Wildlife Trail Map (PDF)
- Pristine Beach - Pea Island offers almost thirteen miles of beautiful,
barrier island beach, undisturbed by vehicles. Many visitors seek the
peace and solitude of the refuge beach, choosing to walk the extra
distance for the quiet and less-crowded conditions. Shelling, beachcombing,
and just strolling along the shoreline are popular activities.
- Wildlife
Observation and Photography - In addition to the wildlife trails, which
offer tremendous observation and photography opportunities,
there is a photography blind located very near NC Highway 12. Please
call the Visitor Center (252-987-2394) for directions to the blind.
And there are many less formal opportunities to enjoy these activities.
Unless an area is signed as "Closed to Public Entry", you
may wander throughout the beach, salt flats and dune areas of the refuge.
- Fishing - Pea Island offers access to both the Atlantic Ocean and
Pamlico Sound for saltwater fishing.
- Hunting is not allowed on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.
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