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Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Hunt Impoundment Conditions Report 2024

Attention Waterfowl Hunters! The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Hunt Impoundment Conditions Report for the start of the regular 2024-2025 waterfowl hunt season is available now. Please click on the following link to read the report: https://www.fws.gov/media/merritt-island-national-wildlife-refuge-hunt-impoundment-conditions-2024

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Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Post-Hurricane Milton Update

Following hurricane Milton, the following areas are still closed while assessments and repairs are undertaken: Bio Lab Road, the Catfish Creek loop road, and the Palm and Oak Hammock Trails. Most all other refuge areas and facilities are now open, including the visitor center, Black Point Wildlife Drive and all boat ramps.

Please observe all closures, and do not enter any areas which are behind closed gates. 

For further information, please call the visitor center at 321-861-0669.

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Haulover Bridge Closure

The Haulover Canal Bridge will be closed to road traffic from October 30 to November 16, 2024. Refuge public use areas on either side of the bridge will still be open to visitation during the closure. For additional information, please contact the refuge visitor center at 321-861-0669. 

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, located along Florida’s coast about 60 miles east of the city of Orlando, was established by agreement as an overlay of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John F. Kennedy Space Center. The refuge lies within one of the most productive estuaries in the country.
Refuge Passes available on Recreation.gov

A Refuge Pass is required to enter the Black Point Wildlife Drive and Bio Lab Road, and to launch a boat at Bairs Cove, Beacon 42, and Bio Lab boat ramps. A variety of passes can be purchased in-person at the Visitor Center. Merritt Island Annual, Daily, and Foot/Bicycle passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov. Fees collected are used to directly assist with providing safe and meaningful experiences to refuge visitors.

Learn more about Refuge Passes on our Visit Us page

Visit Us

National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge offers a wide diversity of recreational and educational opportunities. From bird watching and nature study, to fishing and seasonal hunting, you are sure to find an activity to satisfy your passion. 

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established as an overlay of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John F. Kennedy Space Center. According to the agreement with NASA, the lands and waters of the Kennedy Space Center are primarily to serve the space program and secondarily to serve as a wildlife refuge or park.

      What We Do

      Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
      A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

      Learn more about national wildlife refuge
      is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used.

      Our Species

      Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1963 for the protection of migratory birds.  Consisting of 140,000 acres, the refuge provides a wide variety of habitats: coastal dunes, saltwater marshes, managed impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks. These habitats provide habitat for more than 1,500 species of plants and animals and 15 federally listed species. 

      Our Library

      Visit our digital library to view our brochures and publications all in one convenient location.