Håfa adai and welcome to the Guam National Wildlife Refuge! Part of the National Wildlife Refuge systems, Guam NWR is a sanctuary for many species that are native and endemic to Guam.
RITIDIAN BEACH STATUS: NORMAL HOURS
The Guam National Wildlife Refuge, including Ritidian Beach, is open during normal operational hours. Normal operational hours are Wednesday to Sunday from 7:30am to 4:00pm. We are closed every Monday & Tuesday, federal holidays, and during hazardous ocean conditions. For updates on weather advisories from NOAA Weather Service, call 211 or visit www.weather.gov/gum. For other inquiries, call 671-355-5096 or email ritidian@fws.gov. Updated 3/27/2024.

Visit Us

Guam’s native wildlife flourish in the native limestone and coastal forests, and sea creatures are bountiful in the tropical blue waters. Visitors seek out the beauty and tranquility provided and enjoy seeing and learning about wildlife. The Refuge is a vital link between Guam’s cultural and natural heritage, a vibrant reminder of the place nature holds in all our lives and a treasure for future generations.

Location and Contact Information

      Refuge New Facilities Surveys and Access Update

      As a national defense priority, the U.S. Navy is establishing a new live fire training range complex at Anderson Air Force Base. As the complex’s surface danger zone (SDZ) overlays a portion of the Ritidian Unit of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge (GNWR), the U.S. Departments of Navy and the Interior were mandated by law (FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act, Public Law No. 113-291) to relocate existing refuge facilities on the Ritidian Unit of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge.

      Headquarters Marine Corps is conducting initial survey work and developing an Environmental Assessment to analyze the potential environmental effects of the proposed construction of replacement facilities, infrastructure, and access at the Ritidian Unit. GNWR staff are working with the Marine Corps to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential adverse effects to these historic properties through avoidance and site design.

      For the safety of visitors to Ritidian, it is anticipated that access to public areas may be affected until survey work is complete from late March 2024 to June 2024. Please continue to monitor the Guam National Wildlife Refuge’s website for additional information during this period. Specific information of the survey work, and refuge access areas impacted can be found on this infographic.

      All questions regarding survey work should be directed to the Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Communication Strategy and Operations Office at (671) 362-7371 or diann.rosenfeld.mil@usmc.mil.

      About Us

      Guam National Wildlife Refuge is located on the island of Guam, an unincorporated U.S. Territory. Guam is the largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Archipelago, situated in the western Pacific Ocean, approximately 3,800 miles west of Honolulu and 1,500 miles south of Tokyo.

      What We Do

      The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge.

      Our Species

      The Refuge provides habitat for the last remaining populations of the endangered Mariana fruit bat, Mariana crow, and the Serianthes nelsonii tree. The Ritidian Unit is an active sea turtle nesting area. 

      Get Involved

      The Guam National Wildlife Refuge relies on volunteers to assist in vital conservation and management efforts to preserve national networks of land and water - including both flora and fauna - for the benefit of present and future generations.