Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge

About Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge

The Virginia barrier island chain, including Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge, is one of only 17 sites in the United States classified as a “Wetland of International Importance.” This refuge is located on the southernmost barrier island, at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, and is separated from the Eastern Shore of Virginia by about one-half mile of water. Fisherman Island Refuge is designated at an Important Bird Area and is constantly growing. In the late 1800’s it was only 25 acres, while today it spans nearly 2,000 acres!Because of the critical nature of its habitats for wildlife, Fisherman Island is closed to the public. However, guided tours are offered on Saturdays from October - February (pre-registration required).

How to Get There

The Eastern Shore of Virginia and Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuges are located off Route 13 in Virginia just north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.From Route 13 go East on Seaside Road (Rt 600)Follow Seaside Rd for about 0.3 mile to the intersection with Fitchett RdTurn right to drive South on Fitchett for ¼ mile, Refuge Headquarters is on the left.

Plan Your Visit to Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge

Heading to Fisherman 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

References & Official Resources

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