Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

About Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Gray Reef’s National Marine Sanctuary is an ocean park that protects a beautiful hard-bottom area that is one of the largest nearshore sandstone reefs in the southeastern United States. This sanctuary is the home to an abundance of marine life such as crabs, sponges, sea stars, and soft corals. Below the Atlantic Ocean’s surface, the rocky platform is wreathed in a carpet of attached organisms, known locally as a "live-bottom habitat." The sanctuary provides year-round opportunities for sport fishing, recreational diving, and boating. The research area within the sanctuary hosts one of the only designated no-take zones in the region. To learn more about this sanctuary, visitors should stop by the Gray’s Reef Ocean Discovery Center.

How to Get There

20 miles east off the coast of Sapelo Island, Georgia

Plan Your Visit to Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Heading to Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)