Our Services

At this field station we offer the following services:

  • America the Beautiful Passes
  • Duck Stamps
  • Habitat Planning & Management
  • Photo Blinds
  • Special Use Permit
  • Special Use Permit-Commercial Photography
  • Recreation
  • Interpretation
  • Environmental Education
  • Canoe/Kayak Launches
  • Visitor Center
  • Law Enforcement

Several facilities are available to the public at Back Bay NWR. The Refuge’s Visitor Center is open year-round, providing interpretive exhibits, staff or volunteers to provide orientation and answer questions and indoor restrooms. The Visitor Center is located at 4005 Sandpiper Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456. Hiking and biking trails and locations for freshwater fishing, surf fishing, kayaking, wildlife observation and photography are all located adjacent to the Visitor Center parking areas.

During the fee season, which runs April 1 – October 31, the Fee Booth is staffed at the entrance gate of the wildlife refuge. A Fee Collector is available five days a week to issue passes, provide orientation and answer visitor questions.

A viewing and photography blind is located approximately one mile south of the Visitor Center. The Wildlife Viewing Window is split into an indoor space and covered outdoor area. The indoor space of this facility has seating for up to 100 people and one-way glass for viewing wildlife. The outdoor space consists of a solid wall with slats for viewing and photographing wildlife. Winter is the best season to visit this facility, when ducks and swans are feeding and resting in the area in front of the viewing blind.

On the west side of Back Bay the Refuge maintains a kayak/canoe launch and fishing location at the end of Horn Point Road. Visitors may access this location from April 1 – October 31, from sunrise to sunset. The parking area is adjacent to the bay and a soft kayak/canoe launch. Restroom facilities and an informational kiosk are also available. There is no fee to use this facility.