Stewart B. McKinney
Westbrook, CT 06498-1760
Plan Your Visit
With locations spread over 70 miles, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge protects some of the last remaining undeveloped coastal habitats in Connecticut. These places are crucially important to wildlife, especially at-risk species that need space to feed, rest, establish a home and raise their young.
We balance the needs of wildlife with those of people, encouraging many recreational opportunities - like hiking, birdwatching, kayaking, and hunting - that visitors can do on their own. Many refuge units have nature trails, wildlife observation platforms and other visitor facilities.
If you want to discover a variety of birds, mammals, sea creatures, colorful trees, rare plants, historic buildings and cultural features - come check the refuge out!
Know before you go:
Visitors to the refuge should dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy walking shoes. Long pants can help defend against ticks, which are found at some refuge units. Areas with marsh and wetlands have mosquitoes in summer – so insect repellent is advisable.
Visitors must remain on established trails, at viewing platforms and in other areas open to the public. Going off trail into forest, marsh or other habitats is prohibited.
Ranger and volunteer-led tours and programs are available, especially in summer and early fall, to enhance the visitor experience.
Dogs, cats, horses or other domestic animals are not allowed anywhere on the refuge. However, service dogs are always allowed.
Permits for hunting are easy to download from this website.
Additional questions regarding visitation may be directed to the Visitor Services Manager at 860-399-2513.
Salt Meadow Unit (Refuge Headquarters), 733 Old Clinton Road, Westbrook 06498
The Salt Meadow Unit - Connecticut’s first National Wildlife Refuge - was acquired in 1972 under authority of the Migratory Bird Act by private donation. Esther Lape donated her land to protect the wetlands, perpetuate the property as a wildlife sanctuary, and provide opportunities for environmental awareness.
Consisting of 400+acres of forest, salt marsh, shrubland and meadow, this unit serves as the refuge headquarters and a visitor contact site. The interpretive trail offers people a chance to watch the amazing courtship flights of American woodcock, see wading bird like egrets, herons and glossy ibis, observe nesting tree swallows, terrapins and crabs in the marsh, and enjoy butterflies, hawk moths and other pollinators in the shrubland and meadow. Wayside exhibits along the trail give information about plants, wildlife and the history of the site.
There is an informational kiosk here with brochures, maps and a Blue Goose Passport stamping station. Visitors should enter the wood kiosk and look for the drawer (on the right) in order to stamp their own booklets with a choice of two different refuge stamps.
Although driving to this unit of the refuge is most common, visitors may also explore it via water by launching a boat into the Menunketesuck River at nearby Kirtland Landing (along state route 145) or coming in via Long Island Sound.
Directions: Take Exit 64 from I-95 and go south on Horse Hill Road (Rt. 145). Turn left onto Old Clinton Rd; the parking area is about 1 mile down on the right.
Great Meadows Unit, approx. address: 600 Long Beach Blvd., Stratford, CT 06615
Directions: Take Exit 30 from I-95 and proceed southeast on Lordship Blvd (Route 113). Turn onto Long Beach Blvd (across from Duchess restaurant); the parking area and kiosk are near the end of Long Beach Blvd on the left.
Milford Point Unit, address: 1 Milford Point Road, Milford, CT 06460
Directions: Take exit 34 from I-95 and turn left onto Route 1 North. Turn right onto Lansdale Ave and right onto Milford Point Road toward the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center. Access the refuge by walking along the Audubon Center's beach boardwalk to the end, then turn right to walk along the shoreline.
Outer Island Unit, approx. address for Thimble Islands ferry and Stony Creek boat ramp, 2 Indian Point Road, Branford, CT 06405-5707
Directions: Accessible via the Thimble Islands Ferry (fee required) or by private vessel from the Stony Creek boat ramp.
Sheffield Island Unit, address for Sheffield Island Ferry: 70 Water Street, Norwalk, CT 06854
Directions: Reach by private boat or summer ferry service (fee) with the Norwalk Seaport Association. Kayaks may beach anywhere on the north beach between the ruins of the old mansion and the Seaport Association dock with no fee. Private vessels must pay a small docking fee if using the Seaport Association dock.
Chimon Island Unit, approx. address for Veterans Park boat launch: 200 CT-136 Norwalk, CT 06855
Directions: Reach by private vessel, such as a kayak or motorboat. There is no docking facility; motorboats may anchor off the island's West Beach, kayaks may beach there.
Calf Island Unit, approx. address for Byram Park boat launch: 36 Game Cock Road, Greenwich, CT 06830
Directions: Reach by private vessel. Motorboats may anchor off the island's crescent beach, and kayaks may land on the crescent beach or north beach.
Driving Directions to the Salt Meadow Unit (Refuge Headquarters)
This unit is conveniently located just off Interstate-95 in Westbrook, CT. Take Exit 64 and go south on Horse Hill Road (Rt. 145). At the stop sign, turn left onto Old Clinton Rd. The visitor parking area is about 1 mile down the road on the right. There is a large blue McKinney National Wildlife Refuge sign at the visitor entrance. Once you reach the end of the visitor driveway and parking lot, you'll see two stone buildings on the right. The large one is refuge headquarters. Proceed up past the buildings to enter the information kiosk and trail system.
Activities
Featured Species
Get Involved
Here at the refuge, we love it when visitors want to get involved by becoming volunteers or joining our Friends groups!
Volunteering
Volunteers perform many essential tasks that assist staff at the refuge in carrying out our diverse mission. From office work such as filing and cleaning, to building informational kiosks and bird boxes, to mowing lawns, giving interpretive tours and operating boats - the service that volunteers provide is tremendous.
Individuals can volunteer as much or as little time as they wish, from a few hours a month to several full days each week. Regular volunteer opportunities exist in the following units of the refuge: Salt Meadow - Westbrook, Outer Island - Branford (spring and summer), Great Meadows - Stratford, Milford Point - Milford.
Anyone interested in volunteering should email the Volunteer Coordinator at shaun_roche@fws.gov or call refuge headquarters at 860-399-2513.
Our Partners
The refuge has many Friends Groups, other partners and organizations that assist us in our mission.
Here is a list of some of our closest partners:
- The Friends of Stewart B. McKinney NWR
- The Friends of Outer Island
- The Norwalk Seaport Association
- The Faulkner’s Light Brigade
- City of New Haven - Parks Department
- Audubon Connecticut
- Connecticut Audubon Society
Services
The refuge provides visitor services including guided nature walks, kayak tours, and curriculum-based environmental education programs like The Nature of Learning. Staff and volunteers maintain trails and public areas while offering interpretive programs on natural and cultural topics throughout the year.
If your group (a school, club, scout troop, etc.) would like to set up an interpretive walk, field trip or similar program, just call 860-399-2513 and speak to the visitor services manager.
About
Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of 10 units stretched across 70 miles of Connecticut's coastline. It was established in 1972 and was originally called Salt Meadow National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was renamed in 1987 to honor the late U.S. Congressman Stewart B. McKinney, who was instrumental in expanding it.
Located in the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge provides important resting, feeding, and nesting habitat for many species of wading birds, shorebirds, songbirds and terns, including the endangered roseate tern. Adjacent waters serve as wintering habitat for brant, scoters, American black duck and other waterfowl. Overall, the refuge encompasses well over 1,000 acres of forest, barrier beach, tidal wetland and fragile island habitats.
The Salt Meadow Unit in Westbrook, the Falkner Island Unit in Guilford, and the Great Meadows Unit in Stratford all have been designated as Important Bird Areas by the National Audubon Society. The Falkner Island Unit is home to over 40 pairs of nesting federally endangered roseate terns and over 2,000 nesting pairs of common terns. The Salt Meadow Unit is used by over 280 species of migrating neotropical birds during the spring and fall migrations.
The refuge also contains unique historic buildings - such as the Falkner Island Lighthouse (Guilford) and the Lape-Read House and Enoch Murdock House at Salt Meadow. The Sheffield Island Unit has summer ferry service from South Norwalk and offers visitors a chance to see inside the 1868 lighthouse there. The Chimon Island Unit, also in Norwalk, contains a small memorial area for Congressman Stewart B. McKinney. These buildings, landscapes and other features evoke the stories of the people of the Connecticut coast and how they shaped the refuge.
