Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
Overview
Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge is managed by Fish and Wildlife Service and is located near Cedar Island, North Carolina. Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge, located in Carteret County, North Carolina is on the end of a peninsula marking the southern end of Pamlico Sound. The refuge lies five miles east of the Atlantic ocean and about 40 miles northeast of Beaufort, North Carolina. Established in 1964, the refuge consists of approximately 11,000 acres of irregularly-flooded, brackish marsh and 3,480 acres of pocosin and woodland habitat. The dominant marsh plants include black needlerush, saltmarsh cordgrass, saltmeadow hay, and saltgrass. The woodland areas are dominated by loblolly, longleaf and pond pine. Live oak is also abundant on some upland sites. The marsh and surrounding waters provide wintering habitat for thousands of ducks and nesting habitat for colonial waterbirds.
Things to Do at Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
Recreation Activities
Popular activities at Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge include:
Nearby Activities
- Biking
- Birding
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Motor Boat
- Non-Motorized Boating
- Photography
- Wildlife Viewing
Plan Your Visit
Getting There
From Beaufort, NC:
- Start out going east on Cedar St toward Live Oak St/NC-101.
- Cedar St becomes Live Oak St. In 2.50 miles
- Turn right onto Hwy 70 Beaufort/US-70 E. In 2.69 miles
- Turn right onto Hwy 70 Beaufort/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow US-70 E. In 6.45 miles
- Turn left onto US Highway 70 Smyrna/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. In 6.15 miles
- Turn left onto US Highway 70 Davis/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. In 8.21 miles
- Stay straight to go onto Cedar Island Rd/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/NC-12. In 8.32 miles
- Turn right onto Lola Rd. In 2.19 miles Contact Center is on the left.
To Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge Contact Station from Mattamuskeet NWR (Refuge Headquarters):
- Start out going northwest on Mattamuskeet Refuge Rd toward NC Highway 94/Alligator River Route/NC-94. In 1.39 miles
- Turn left onto NC Highway 94/Alligator River Route/NC-94. In 1.50 miles
- Turn right onto US Highway 264/Pamlico Scenic Byway/US-264 W. Continue to follow Pamlico Scenic Byway/US-264 W. In 33.56 miles
- Turn right onto W Main St/Pamlico Scenic Byway/US-264 W/NC-99. Continue to follow US-264 W. In 29.26 miles
- Turn left onto N Bridge St/US-17 Bus S. Continue to follow US-17 Bus S. In 4.45 miles
- Stay straight to go onto US Highway 17/US-17 S. Continue to follow US-17 S. In 31.23 miles
- Take the US-70 E exit, EXIT 417AB, toward Havelock/New Bern. In 0.36 miles
- Merge onto US-70 E via EXIT 417B on the left toward Havelock/Morehead City. In 17.13 miles
- Turn slight left onto Miller Blvd/NC-101. Continue to follow NC-101. In 16.12 miles
- Turn left onto Laurel Rd. In 2.27 mile
- Turn right onto Merrimon Rd. In 2.44 miles
- Turn left onto Hwy 70 Beaufort/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow US-70 E. In 6.43 miles
- Turn left onto US Highway 70 Smyrna/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E.In 6.15 miles
- Turn left onto US Highway 70 Davis/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E. Continue to follow Outer Banks Scenic Byway/US-70 E.In 8.21 miles
- Stay straight to go onto Cedar Island Rd/Outer Banks Scenic Byway/NC-12. In 8.32 miles
- Turn right onto Lola Rd. In 2.19 miles Contact Center is on the left.
Cedar Island can also be accessed by ferry from Ocracoke Island.
GPS Coordinates: 34.95675300000000, -76.27838900000000
Contact & Resources
Phone: 252-926-4021
Additional Information:
Additional Information