Alligator River/Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge P. O. Box 1969 Manteo, North Carolina 27954 Contact: Bonnie Strawser - 252-473-1131 Back to News Home Page

News Release

June 3, 2009

Discover Your National Wildlife Refuge on a Guided Canoe Tour

Canoe tours on Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges continue to be the most popular way to learn about the refuges. Whether it’s exploring the blackwater canals at Alligator River or the salt water marshes of Pea Island, canoe tours provide the best opportunity to get up close with the refuge habitats and the wildlife that live there. Alligators, river otters, turtles, a variety of songbirds and snakes are some of the possibilities within the wetlands of Alligator River. In addition to the wildlife, paddlers will learn about the history of the area and the importance of its habitats. Pea Island tours will bring you face-to-face with crabs, skates, diamondback terrapin, a variety of fish and water birds. Family Canoe tours at Pea Island also offer shorter, two-hour trips for families with smaller children (and smaller attentions spans!). If you long for a hands-on experience where you can get out of the boat and explore the marshes with nets, the family tour is for you.

Canoe tours are provided Wednesday through Friday. A fee is charged for the tours. For reservations or more information, contact Visitor Services Specialist Cindy Heffley at 252-475-4180. Or check out the web site http://www.fws.gov/alligatorriver and click on Calendar of Events for our detailed program listing. Directions and refuge information are also available through this web site.

Paddlers enjoy a guided tour at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Alligators have been seen during recent tours.
Photo Credit: USFWS, Cindy Heffley