Visit Us
Refuge visitors are welcome to enjoy a wide range of wildlife dependent activities throughout our three divisions. The refuge headquarters is located at 24 Kimbles Beach Road in Cape May Court House, and is open weekdays from 8 am – 4:30 pm; while our nature trails and observation areas are open 7-days a week sunrise to sunset, with parking available at all sites.
Activities
Refuge visitors are welcome to enjoy a wide range of wildlife dependent activities here. There are four hiking trails throughout the refuge. These include Cedar Swamp Trail in the Great Cedar Swamp Division; Woodcock Trail and Songbird Trail in the Delaware Bay Division; and Dune Trail at the Two Mile Beach Unit (see maps). Best wildlife viewing opportunities occur in spring and fall with observation platforms available at our Two Mile Beach Unit. Seasonal deer hunting and migratory game bird hunting are allowed in designated areas of the refuge, under State and Federal regulation.
Trails
Four foot trails through the refuge's varied habitats provide excellent opportunities for wildlife observation. These include the Songbird and Woodcock Trails (Delaware Bay Division), Cedar Swamp Trail (Great Cedar Swamp Division), and Marsh and Dune Trails (Two Mile Beach Unit) which include observation platforms and blind. Between October 1 and March 31 the beachfront of the Two Mile Beach Unit is also open for wildlife observation. The Cape May Peninsula has been described as one of the ten top birding spots in North America!
Related Documents
Rules and Policies
The refuge is open daily from dawn to dusk.
Pets must be on a short, hand-held leash within the Delaware Bay and Great Cedar Swamp Divisions. Pets are prohibited at the Two Mile Beach Unit.
Disturbing, injuring, destroying, collecting plants, wildlife, or other natural objects is prohibited.
Entering closed areas is prohibited.
In addition to state hunting laws and regulations (found in the annual NJ Hunting and Trapping Digest), specific federal regulations apply on the refuge. Please stop by the Refuge Headquarters/Visitor Contact Station for up-to date information/maps.
Locations
Cape May NWR is broken up between three divisions: The Great Cedar Swamp Unit, The Delaware Bay Division, and the Two Mile Beach Unit. Trails are located at all locations; and visitor contact stations are located in the Delaware Bay Division year round and seasonally at the Two Mile Beach Unit. The Visitor Contact Station at Two Mile Beach is where our Friends of Cape May gift store is located as well as the starting point for our Saturday morning family walks.
From the Garden State Parkway: Turn west at exit 10. Go into Cape May Court House. At Route 9, turn left (south). Through next light, make a right at Hand Avenue. Continue on Hand Avenue to State Highway 47. Turn left (south) onto Route 47, then make a quick right (west) onto Kimbles Beach Road. Refuge office is about 1/4 mile on the left.