Laws and Regulations

Certain activities are prohibited at the refuge in order to protect and preserve wildlife and habitat, in keeping with our mission. 

Prohibited activities include: 

  • Bicycling
  • Camping
  • Picnicking
  • Over sand vehicles
  • Fires
  • Fireworks
  • Jet skiing
  • Kiteboarding
  • Mussel harvesting
  • Horseshoe crab harvesting

See the appendix of our Comprehensive Conservation Plan for a full list of all permitted and prohibited activities.

Pets are never allowed on South Monomoy, North Monomoy, and Minimoy islands. These islands contain sensitive ecosystems, and provide critically important habitat for a huge variety of threatened shorebirds. 

On the Morris Island (mainland) unit, dogs are NOT permitted in the summer, from May 1st to September 15th, to protect nesting wildlife. Leashed dogs are allowed on the Morris Island trails in the off-season, which is from September 16th to April 30th.

To reduce disturbance to wildlife and for your safety, public use is restricted to designated areas. All other areas, including the dunes, are closed.

Refuge visitors wishing to possess firearms must comply with all related State laws.  Firearms are not allowed in any refuge building, including the visitor center/headquarters, visitor contact station, and all restrooms.  Hunters should contact refuge headquarters for specific restrictions and/or exceptions.