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Welcome

Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge consists of the Northeast tip of Nantucket, known as Great Point. The 24-acre Nantucket Refuge was established in 1973 when the Service acquired the property under the Act Authorizing the Transfer of Certain Real Property for Wildlife or other purposes from the U.S. Coast Guard. The Refuge’s establishing purpose is "its particular value in carrying out the migratory bird act."

The refuge is open to the public for wildlife observation and photography, fishing, and interpretation. Dogs are not permitted on Nantucket NWR. Access to the refuge is difficult, as there are no roads and visitors must cross about 5 miles of sand beach. Over sand vehicle use requires a permit from The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) since you must cross their property to reach the refuge.

The Refuge has been managed informally by TTOR for several decades. TTOR owns the land immediately adjacent to Great Point, known as the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge. Great Point is known as one of the best surfcasting locations in New England because of the rip tide which brings bluefish and striped bass to the point. The Refuge is also a destination for hundreds of visitors each year seeking to enjoy a Nantucket beach or a tour of the Great Point Lighthouse. More information about the adjacent TTOR property is available on their website.

Pedestrian and Vehicle Access Update

Spring is here, and that means that piping plovers, common terns and least terns will be arriving soon. Piping plovers are already returning to the Nantucket Sound area. In anticipation of their arrival on the refuge, and in compliance with Federal and State guidelines, refuge staff have posted where pedestrians and vehicles are currently allowed on the refuge. The areas are also shown in the map on this page. We have great habitat for piping plover on the west side of the refuge. At this time, we still have many seals on the point, so there is no pedestrian access at this time over to the east side of the refuge from the point. Refuge staff will monitor seal populations and will open up a pedestrian access to the east beach as soon as possible.

We hope you enjoy your visit to the Nantucket NWR and thank you for helping us keep part of the refuge undisturbed for wildlife!

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