Marker
  • Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters - Salt Meadow Unit
    (860) 399-2513
    733 Old Clinton Road Westbrook, CT 06498-1760

  • The Salt Meadow Unit - Connecticut’s first National Wildlife Refuge - was acquired in 1972 under authority of the Migratory Bird Act by private donation.  Esther Lape donated her land to protect the wetlands, perpetuate the property as a wildlife sanctuary, and provide opportunities for environmental awareness.

    Consisting of 400+acres of forest, salt marsh salt marsh
    Salt marshes are found in tidal areas near the coast, where freshwater mixes with saltwater.

    Learn more about salt marsh     , shrubland and meadow in Westbrook, this unit serves as the refuge headquarters and a visitor contact site.  The interpretive trail offers people a chance to watch the amazing courtship flights of American woodcock, see wading bird like egrets, herons and glossy ibis, observe nesting tree swallows, terrapins and crabs in the marsh, and enjoy butterflies, hawk moths and other pollinators in the shrubland and meadow. Wayside exhibits along the trail give information about plants, wildlife and the history of the site.

    There is an informational kiosk here with brochures, maps and a Blue Goose Passport stamping station. Visitors should enter the wood kiosk and look for the drawer (on the right) in order to stamp their own booklets with a choice of two different refuge stamps.

    Although driving to this unit of the refuge is most common, visitors may also explore it via water. For information about boating at Salt Meadow, go here.

    A trail through the woods of Salt Meadow in fall, with historic log cabin
    Image Details
    Driving Directions

    Salt Meadow Unit (Headquarters) 

    This unit is conveniently located just off Interstate-95 in Westbrook, CT. Take Exit 64 and go south on Horse Hill Road (Rt. 145). At the stop sign, turn left onto Old Clinton Rd. The visitor parking area is about 1 mile down the road on the right. There is a large brown McKinney National Wildlife Refuge sign at the visitor entrance. Once you reach the end of the visitor driveway and parking lot, you'll see two stone buildings on the right. The large one is refuge headquarters. Proceed up past the buildings to enter the information kiosk and trail system. 

    Salt Meadow Trails
    Open daily, year-round
    1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset