John Heinz
Philadelphia, PA 19153-2501
Please check the Restoration and Construction Projects under Services for more information.
Plan Your Visit
The refuge features more than 10 miles of trails, including the popular 3.5 mile Wetland Loop and the wheelchair-accessible Big Boardwalk Loop. Stop by the Visitor Center, open from Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm, where you will find maps, brochures, birding checklists, and exhibits about the Delaware River watershed. Binoculars and fishing rods are available for loan free of charge, although food is not available for purchase.
The boat launch is currently inaccessible.
Check out the events calendar for free public programs, nature walks, and seasonal festivals. You can find all events on Facebook @JohnHeinzNWR or at the information kiosk at the trailhead.
Binoculars and fishing rods are available for loan, free of charge, at the Visitor Center front desk.
Activities
Get Involved
Volunteering Opportunities
From trail maintenance to environmental education to the front desk, there are many opportunities to contribute! Volunteers provide thousands of hours annually to the refuge assisting with programming, resource management, and administrative duties. Their time and dedication are critical to the refuge’s ability to accomplish goals related to our mission and services delivered to the public. In addition to an invitation to the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, volunteers receive training, clothing and a nametag. All prospective volunteers contact the Volunteer Coordinator, Hannah Thompkins, by email to hannah_thompkins@fws.gov.
Paid Summer Internships
High School Students
The refuge partners with Student Conservation Association to assemble crews of high school students in the spring, summer, and fall who have an interest in conservation and nature. Gain experience with trail maintenance, invasive plant removal, garden maintenance, and environmental education at the refuge and in the surrounding communities. Call the Visitor Center (215-365-3118) for more information.
College Students and Recent Graduates
Student Conservation Association employs crew leaders to lead crews of high school students in the spring, summer, and fall. Crew leaders must be 21 years and older and have a driver's license for 3 years.
In partnership with Mobilized Green, the Maintenance, Infrastructure & Facilities Fellowship offers paid opportunities with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) that open pathways to technical and federal careers. Fellows work in supportive cohorts on projects that sustain wildlife refuges, visitor facilities, and public lands across the country.
Our Partners
Friends of Heinz Refuge (FOHR)
The Friends of the Heinz Refuge (FOHR) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization engaged in a wide diversity of projects, programs, and services which serve to raise awareness of and support for John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia, as well as the National Wildlife Refuge System and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. FOHR assists the refuge in meeting their mission in a variety of ways including managing a nature store, hosting special events, providing bus funding for school groups, and much more! To find out how you can get involved, visit https://fohrefuge.org/ or find them on Facebook @FriendsOfHeinz.
Services
The refuge provides extensive environmental education and school programming, including the Philly Nature Kids partnership which offers inquiry-based curriculum and environmental action projects. Educators can access free field trips, ranger-led lessons, and borrow educational 'Loan Boxes' containing mammal or bird study materials. Public services also include free loans of fishing rods and binoculars for visitors.
About
Established in 1972 to preserve the Tinicum Marsh and provide environmental education, the refuge is America's first urban refuge and protects the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. It acknowledges its location as the ancestral homeland of the Lenni Lenape people, who stewarded the marshland for thousands of years. After local activism stopped highway and landfill construction in the 1960s, the refuge was formally protected and later named in honor of Senator John Heinz. Today, it serves as a vital green space for both wildlife conservation and community engagement within Philadelphia.