Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge offers three accessible trails.  The Akers Woodland Trail and Leeds Eco-Trail are both located at our headquarters in Galloway Township, and the Cedar Bonnet Island Trail is located on Cedar Bonnet Island in Stafford Township.  Scroll down to our trails section for more...

An 8 mile self-guided tour of saltwater marsh, freshwater habitat, and upland forest. This area is known internationally as a birding “hotspot”.  Observation towers are located at Gull Pond and Turtle Cove.

We also offer a virtual, interactive StoryMap of the...

Bicycles are not permitted on hiking trails at refuge headquarters. Bicycles are permitted on the Wildlife Drive and on the Cedar Bonnet Island (CBI) trail located in Stafford Township. No off-road vehicles (ATV’s, dirt bikes, etc.) are allowed on refuge property. 

View the most recent bird sightings on the refuge with eBird's explore tool.  You can search by hotspots across the refuge, by species, and sign up to receive email alerts for rarities and species you haven't seen!

Boats may be launched at the Scotts Landing boat ramp, located at the end of Scotts Landing Road, off Moss Mill Road, at Leeds Point in Galloway Township. This boat launch provides access to state waters and to migratory waterfowl hunt areas. Check out our map for a full list of boat launches...

The refuge offers opportunities for kayaking or canoeing at the Lily Lake Kayak Launch located a quarter mile west of Refuge Headquarters in Galloway Township.  There is also a kayak & canoe landing area at the Cedar Bonnet Island (CBI) trail near the East Picnic Pavilion, which can...

Pet walking is allowed on the following...

Earthcaching activities are only allowed in areas of the refuge open to the public. These areas include the Wildlife Drive, Songbird Trail, Leeds Eco-trail, deCamp Wildlife Trail, the Barnegat Overlook area, Holgate Beach and the Service-owned portion of Eno’s Pond County Park.

Geocaching...

Freshwater fishing opportunities are provided at Lily Lake (Atlantic County, Galloway Township) and Middle Branch (Ocean County, Lacey Township), including bank...

The refuge offers a variety of hiking opportunities from Brick to Galloway Townships, including accessible trails and some offered for pet walkers. See attachments below for specific information about Edwin B. Forsythe NWR hiking trails.

Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge provides excellent opportunities for both deer and migratory bird hunting. All hunting is conducted following state and federal regulations and there are additional refuge-specific regulations; it is the hunter’s responsibility to know the applicable regulations...

Visitors can picnic at a few locations across Forsythe. A picnic area is located at Refuge Headquarters near the Visitor Information Center.  There are also two picnic areas along the Cedar Bonnet Island Trail, at the East and West Picnic Pavilions.

There are public events throughout the year at Forsythe refuge including fishing derbies, Earth Day clean-ups and many others. 

Running is permitted on the Wildlife Drive, the deCamp Wildlife Trail, and at Cedar Bonnet Island.

Harvestable shellfish in New Jersey include hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria), oysters (Crassostrea virginica), bay scallops (Aequipecten irradians) and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in the estuarine...

Trapping is carefully managed to ensure safety and the sustainability of wildlife populations. Permitted trapping mirrors state regulations, and trappers who access refuge lands for recreation must possess state licenses and follow state regulations as well as permit stipulations. 

There are many animals that live year-round on the Refuge, while other wildlife varies with the season. The Refuge is located on the Atlantic Flyway and serves as both a transitory point for migrating birds and a seasonal home for many species. Take a walk on the many trails. Look carefully for...