Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge staff have been working closely with NCDOT on North Carolina Highway 12 access following the passage of the recent nor’easter and also assessing damage to refuge infrastructure.
The Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center building was raised in 2020 thanks to a fundraising campaign by the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society, the official Friends non-profit supporting refuges in the Coastal North Carolina National Wildlife Refuge Complex. While several feet of water pooled underneath the building during this storm, as a result of the raised elevation, the building was spared damage.
Unfortunately, the parking lot at the Visitor Center was severely damaged. At least half of the pavement was cracked and undermined, and the other half was buried in feet of sand.
The Visitor Center and parking lot will remain closed to all entry until further notice. NCDOT is using the parking lot to stage for critical road repair projects. Once immediate road repairs are completed, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, volunteers, and partners will begin reconstruction of the parking lot.
Other parts of the refuge will remain open. Parking lots are available at Oregon Inlet; at the Salt Flats Wildlife Trail; at New Inlet Kayak/Boat Launch; and just north of the Jughandle Bridge leading to Rodanthe. These lots provide access to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge for wildlife-dependent recreation, including birding, wildlife photography, and fishing, as well as boating and beach access.
Please drive carefully while on the refuge, particularly in construction zones and around NCDOT workers.
