Visit Us
Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting opportunities to those with a valid refuge permit. It is otherwise closed to the public.
Location and Contact Information
About Us
In 1975, three-hundred and forty-three acres of saltmarsh and woodlands sandwiched between Highway 175 and Chincoteague Bay were set aside as Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge. Described as an "inviolate sanctuary" for migratory birds, this small plot also encompasses “Lucky Boy” fen, which is one of only four known sea-level fens in the state of Virginia.
What We Do
Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used. Using conservation best practices, the Refuge System manages Service lands and waters to help ensure the survival of native wildlife species.
Our Species
Comprised mainly of salt marsh salt marsh
Salt marshes are found in tidal areas near the coast, where freshwater mixes with saltwater.
Learn more about salt marsh and woodlands, this refuge is home to a variety of trust species, including upland and wetland-dependent migratory birds. Northern harriers are a common sight flying low over the marsh, looking for a meal, while great horned owls use the refuge to nest and raise their young.
