The Savannah NWR Visitor Center will be closed on the following days so that our staff may enjoy time off with their families for the holidays. December 24 (Christmas Eve), December 25 (Christmas Day), December 26 (Day after Christmas), and January 1 (New Years Day).
The Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive and all refuge trails will remain open throughout the holidays on a normal schedule, daily from sunrise to sunset. Happy Holidays!
Visit Us
National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. There are wildlife-dependent recreational activities offered year-round at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge including hiking, bicycling, wildlife viewing, photography, fishing and hunting.
Refuge lands are open 365 days a year from sunrise to sunset, unless otherwise posted. Currently, the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive is open daily, but the trails north of SC 170 remain closed due to impoundment renovations. We expect that work to finish and the area to reopen by the end of 2023, if not sooner. The Visitor Center is open Monday - Friday from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, excluding all federal holidays.
Please do not use ride services such as Uber and Lyft to visit the refuge as most sites require driving to and from, and cellular service is not always available.
Activities
There are wildlife-dependent recreational activities offered year-round at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge including hiking, bicycling, wildlife viewing, photography, fishing and hunting.
Trails
There are trails accessible from the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive that are open to hiking and bicycling. All of these trails are wide, earthen dikes covered with grass and would only be suitable for a bicycle with thicker tires.
There are also trails accessible from the Kingfisher Pond Recreation Area. These trails are single-track, meandering through wooded areas and are also open to hiking and bicycling.
Related Documents
The full refuge map below represents the entire refuge, while the refuge trail map represents the small portion of the refuge where most visitor use occurs, including the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive. The Beech Hill Nature Trail Guide is to be used while exploring the Beech Hill Trail located behind the Savannah NWR Visitor Center.
Other Facilities in the Complex
Savannah NWR is one of seven refuges administered by the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex which is headquartered at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center located in Hardeeville, South Carolina.
Rules and Policies
There are many fun and interesting things to do and see during your visit to Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, but it is our job to ensure the habitat that our wildlife calls "home" is protected. Below are some important regulations that help keep both visitors and wildlife safe.
- The refuge is open during daylight hours only; overnight use and/or camping (including campfires) are not permitted.
- Some areas may be closed seasonally to protect wildlife from human disturbance. Such areas are posted "Area Beyond This Sign Closed."
- Feeding, capturing, or harassing wildlife is strictly prohibited unless authorized by permit.
- Launching, landing, or disturbing of wildlife by aircraft (drones) on the refuge is prohibited.
- Dogs, cats, and other pets are not permitted on the refuge unless confined inside a vehicle.
- Picking or cutting vegetation is prohibited.
- All of the refuge's archaeological and natural resources are protected. Artifact hunting/collecting is not allowed.
- Automobiles must remain on the wildlife drive. Hikers and bicyclers are encouraged to stay on marked trails.
- The refuge, unless otherwise posted, is open to hiking, biking, wildlife observation, interpretation, environmental education, and photography. It is also open, in certain areas and times of the year, to hunting and fishing; review refuge hunting and fishing regulations for details.