Facility Activities

While visiting the refuge consider stopping by the Visitor Center to learn about the local flora and fauna and chat with refuge staff and volunteers who can provide helpful information, maps, brochures and checklists. The trails showcase native plants, animals, and many different habitats. Paddlers can see the refuge from Little Lagoon by accessing the canoe / kayak launch at the Jeff Friend Trail. Whether it's the solitude of watching a soaring hawk through your binoculars, learning about the amazing journey of a migrating songbird on a guided walk, or simply playing in the surf with your kids there are a ton of great ways to connect with nature at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

Our small visitor contact station is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. CST. For the dates of unexpected closures of our visitor contact station, please call 251-540-7720 and press 3.

Our trails and beach access locations are open from sunrise until sunset 7 days a week.             

Birding

The spring and fall seasons, when neotropical migrants are most abundant, bring birdwatchers from near and far to view the marvelous array of species that may be found on the refuge. The largest are usually ospreys and several species of herons. At the other extreme, seven species of...

Fishing

At Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge anglers can take advantage of the beach access to try their hand at surf fishing or take a short stroll down the Jeff Friend Trail to fish Little Lagoon. Forty acre Gator Lake is also open for fishing. Populations of freshwater fish in Gator Lake are low...

Boating - non-motorized

Canoes and kayaks may be launched from the Jeff Friend Trail kayak launch site into Little Lagoon. Parking is provided at the Jeff Friend Trail Parking area.

Boaters can also access the waters of Gator Lake with canoes, kayaks, and boats with electric trolling motors; but they must be...

Photography

When visiting Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge be sure to bring your camera. The refuge’s diverse ecosystems provide a variety of opportunities for photographing landscapes from sandy beaches along the Gulf of Mexico to wetlands and maritime forest. You can also expect to photograph egrets,...