Features

  • Veteran's Day 150x118

    Fee Free Day!

    Thank You Veterans! In your honor, entrance to the Refuge and other National Public Lands is free on November 11, 2019.

    Learn More About Veterans Month Here

  • Hours

    Refuge Hours

    The refuge is open from 6am to 6pm, 7 days a week. Visitor Center hours are 9am to 4pm, 7 days a week.

    Contact Info, Hours & Directions

  • Important Alert

    OUR MAILING ADDRESS HAS CHANGED

    PLEASE NOTE: Our mailing address has changed to 8231 Beach Road, Chincoteague, VA 23336.

  • Wildlife Viewing

    Recent Bird Sightings

    This list shows data from eBird Trail Tracker. Since many refuge locations are included, one species may be listed multiple times.

    Recent Bird Sightings

  • Important Alert

    OUR MAILING ADDRESS HAS CHANGED

    PLEASE NOTE: Our mailing address has changed to 8231 Beach Road, Chincoteague, VA 23336.

Around the Refuge

2019-2020 Hunt Opportunities Available

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The 2019-2020 hunt brochures, orientations and applications are now available. Completed applications should be mailed to the refuge or emailed to Charles_Sands@fws.gov. Please refer to the trail section of our website to find closure/safety information for non-hunting visitors during the hunt season.

Big Game & Waterfowl Hunting

Watch Butterflies for Science!

2017 Pass Contest Winner

Here's a new citizen science opportunity for those wishing to help conserve monarch butterflies. Researchers need you to collect information about the places monarchs spend the night during fall migration. Interested? Check out the brochure, download the Collector for ArcGIS app and get started!

Monarch Migration Validator Brochure (pdf 1.5MB)

Pet Policy

Pet Policy

Please leave your dog at home. All pets are prohibited (even in your vehicle). Service dogs as defined by the ADA permitted on a 6 ft leash.

ADA Service Animal Information
Looking Forward

Beach Relocation Planning

New Beach Experience (Promo 150x118)

A third collaborative, recreational beach planning workshop was held with local, state and federal partners in May 2017 to continue refining design concepts at the new recreational beach location, 1.5 miles north of the current recreational beach. Funding is currently unavailable. More materials available at FHWA Website: https://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/projects/va/chin-10/

2017 Beach Relocation Update (pdf 266KB)

About the Complex

Chincoteague NWR Complex

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is managed as part of the Chincoteague NWR Complex .

Read more about the complex
About the NWRS

National Wildlife Refuge System

NWRS Logo

The National Wildlife Refuge System, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants.

Learn more about the NWRS
Follow NWRS Online