Piping plover on the beach
Beach Closures

As of April 1, the majority of the refuge beach has been closed to public entry to provide undisturbed nesting and feeding habitat for piping plovers. A small section of beach will remain open at Lot 1. You can learn more about the importance of protecting these special shorebirds by watching this short informational clip. A list of nearby beaches and recreation areas can be found here.

Visit Us

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service welcomes you to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge! National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Here, you can enjoy excellent wildlife-dependent recreational activities, including surf-fishing, wildlife observation and photography, a variety of interpretive programs, and seasonal waterfowl and deer hunting opportunities. A large visitor center - complete with a classroom and auditorium - supports many of these public uses.

Visitors participate in a tide pool program
Image Details

Activities

At Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, wildlife come first. As you engage in recreational activities on the refuge, we appreciate your help maintaining this special place by following all rules and regulations. Information to help you recreate responsibly is included below.

Hunting
Fishing
Wildlife watching
Education programs

Related Documents

ParkerRiverMap
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ParkerRiverMap.pdf

This is the map from Parker River's general brochure.

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GeneralBrochure_0
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Parker River NWR General Brochure.pdf
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Other Facilities in the Complex

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Rules and Policies

In order to safeguard both wildlife and refuge visitors, please observe the following rules and regulations:

Locations

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
(978) 465-5753
6 Plum Island Turnpike Newburyport, MA 01950-4315
Hours
Refuge Hours
Every day of the week
Sunrise to Sunset
Visitor Center Hours
Every day of the week
9am - 4pm, subject to volunteer availability