About Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge, located in Carteret County, North Carolina is on the end of a peninsula marking the southern end of Pamlico Sound. The refuge lies five miles east of the Atlantic ocean and about 40 miles northeast of Beaufort, North Carolina. Established in 1964, the refuge consists of approximately 11,000 acres of irregularly-flooded, brackish marsh and 3,480 acres of pocosin and woodland habitat. The dominant marsh plants include black needlerush, saltmarsh cordgrass, saltmeadow hay, and saltgrass. The woodland areas are dominated by loblolly, longleaf and pond pine. Live oak is also abundant on some upland sites. The marsh and surrounding waters provide wintering habitat for thousands of ducks and nesting habitat for colonial waterbirds.
How to Get There
From Beaufort, NC:Start out going east on Cedar St toward Live Oak St/NC-101.Cedar St becomes Live Oak St. In 2.50 milesTurn right onto Hwy 70 Beaufort/US-70 E. In 2.69 milesTurn right onto Hwy 70 Beaufort/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow US-70 E. In 6.45 milesTurn left onto US Highway 70 Smyrna/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. In 6.15 milesTurn left onto US Highway 70 Davis/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. In 8.21 milesStay straight to go onto Cedar Island Rd/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/NC-12. In 8.32 milesTurn right onto Lola Rd. In 2.19 miles Contact Center is on the left. To Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge Contact Station from Mattamuskeet NWR (Refuge Headquarters):Start out going northwest on Mattamuskeet Refuge Rd toward NC Highway 94/Alligator River Route/NC-94. In 1.39 milesTurn left onto NC Highway 94/Alligator River Route/NC-94. In 1.50 milesTurn right onto US Highway 264/Pamlico Scenic Byway/US-264 W. Continue to follow Pamlico Scenic Byway/US-264 W. In 33.56 milesTurn right onto W Main St/Pamlico Scenic Byway/US-264 W/NC-99. Continue to follow US-264 W. In 29.26 milesTurn left onto N Bridge St/US-17 Bus S. Continue to follow US-17 Bus S. In 4.45 milesStay straight to go onto US Highway 17/US-17 S. Continue to follow US-17 S. In 31.23 milesTake the US-70 E exit, EXIT 417AB, toward Havelock/New Bern. In 0.36 milesMerge onto US-70 E via E
Driving directions (Google Maps) →Plan Your Visit to Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
Heading to Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge? 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
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation for Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge?
No central reservation system listed for Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge. Check the official page (https://www.recreation.gov/recarea/1338) for the latest entry policy and availability.
How do I get to Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge?
From Beaufort, NC:Start out going east on Cedar St toward Live Oak St/NC-101.Cedar St becomes Live Oak St. In 2.50 milesTurn right onto Hwy 70 Beaufort/US-70 E. In 2.69 milesTurn right onto Hwy 70 Beaufort/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow US-70 E. In 6.45 milesTurn left onto US Highway 70 Smyrna/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70…
How do I contact Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge?
You can reach the park at phone: 252-926-4021 or email: mattamuskeet@fws.gov.
References & Official Resources
