Wheelchair-accessible trails of New York and the Mid-Atlantic

Waterfowl are silhouetted in the morning fog at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. Lamar Gore/USFWS

Regardless of where we come from, what we look like, or what our abilities are, we are all wild at heart. Rediscover your true nature at a national wildlife refuge near you. To help you plan ahead, we’ve created two comprehensive lists of the many wheelchair-accessible trails and auto tours available at our refuges. Click on each refuge name for a downloadable trail map.

Click here for a list of the wheelchair-accessible trails at our New England national wildlife refuges.

The Boardwalk Trail at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is a stunning example of an accessible trail. USFWS

Delaware:

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge:

Boardwalk Trail: 0.5 mile, boardwalk

The woods that begin this boardwalk trail are perfect for spotting migratory songbirds in the spring and fall. Check out the refuge’s bird checklist to see how many species you can identify. The trail ends with a view of the tidal salt marsh and Raymond Gut. Be sure to look for fiddler crabs along the banks.

Bear Swamp Trail: 0.25 mile, packed gravel

This trail leads to a 30-foot observation tower and a floating dock overlooking a 240-acre freshwater impoundment. This habitat is a magnet for tall wading birds in the summer. For more information on the trail, check out the trail guide that will give you stop-by-stop wildlife facts along the route.

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge:

Dike Trail: 0.5 mile, boardwalk

This short trail will lead you to a viewing deck with expansive views of the marsh that precedes the Delaware Bay. Here, you are likely to spot red-tailed and marsh hawks, along with the shorebirds and songbirds that use the marsh as nesting habitat. The diversity of wildlife depends on the season. Take a look at the refuge’s Nature Calendar of Events to find out what you can expect to see when you visit.

Boardwalk Trail: 0.5 mile, boardwalk

The Boardwalk Trail guides visitors through uplands, forested wetlands, and over 600 feet of freshwater marsh. From this trail, you can catch glimpses of the 308 species of birds, 51 species of fish, 45 species of reptiles and amphibians, 37 species of mammals, and the array of rare insects and plant species that inhabit Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Be sure to bring a camera; these views are worth documenting.

Snow geese flock to Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in the fall. USFWS

Maryland

Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge:

Tubby Cove Boardwalk: 0.25 mile, boardwalk

Enjoy views of the marsh and the wildlife it supports as you make your way to a wooded island. Along the way, you can enjoy two viewing platforms. Eventually, this trail leads to an accessible viewing blind. Stop by the blind to discretely observe wildlife.

Bayview Butterfly Trail: 0.4 mile, packed gravel

With parking nearby, this convenient trail is the perfect introduction to the refuge. Along the way, stop by the deck overlooking Chesapeake Bay. Take a peek through the free binoculars for views of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Key Bridge in Baltimore. Nearer to the shore, you will see the distinct stone “breakwaters” that prevent shoreline erosion as waves from the bay crash upon them.

Tidal Marsh Overlook Trail: 0.2 mile, boardwalk

What this trail lacks in length it makes up for in convenience. Located directly behind the headquarters/visitor center, the pathway winds through a native meadow leading to a photo blind overlooking the Chester River.

Patuxent Research Refuge:

Tram Tour

Tickets are free for this all-electric, open-air tram tour. The tour can accommodate groups of 12 or fewer. Trips are seasonal and weather-dependent. For more information on when the tram is running, visit this website.

The Loop Trail: 0.3 mile, paved

Aptly named, this short loop leaves directly from the visitor center, where you can find parking and public restrooms. From the trail, you can catch views of the Redington Lake and Ceash Lake. Along the way, you will see examples of meadow and wetland management. Check out the refuge’s species list for more information on the diversity of wildlife you may spot during your visit.

New Jersey:

Cape May National Wildlife Refuge:

Dune Trail: 1.8 miles round trip, boardwalk

There are two access points to this trail at the Two Mile Beach Unit. One is off of Loran Drive across from the first parking lot on the right. The other branches from the second parking lot on the left and has accessible parking next to the boardwalk. From the second access point, you can quickly reach an observation platform overlooking the beachfront. The trail winds behind beach dunes to rare maritime forest habitat.

Marsh Trail: 500 feet, boardwalk

This boardwalk trail leads to another observation platform, this time overlooking the biologically abundant salt marshes. Here you can see wading birds like herons and egrets. Listen closely and you may hear the tell-tale clacking of a clapper rail. The refuge intends to eventually expand this trail to include more than 1,500 feet of boardwalk.

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge:

Wildlife Tour Route: 2 miles

Open 7 days a week, this auto tour takes visitors through the marshes, grasslands, and nearby ponds that make up Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Keep your eyes and ears open near the grasslands, and you may see or hear local birds of prey, including hawks and owls. Songbirds like the eastern bluebird use these grasslands for nesting. In 1976, only three nesting pairs of bluebirds were reported on the refuge. Today, with 136 nest boxes, the refuge supports one of the largest breeding populations of bluebirds in New Jersey.

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge:

NEW at Owen Station Crossing: More than 2 miles, packed gravel

To improve accessibility for all refuge visitors, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge has recently resurfaced more than two miles of trail at the Owens Station Crossing. The trail extends north and south from the visitor hub and features an accessible dock for fishing and launching kayaks and canoes. Additionally, the trailhead includes a pavilion with picnic tables, a public restroom, ample parking, and a beautiful pollinator garden.

New York:

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge:

Headquarters Trail: 1 mile, packed gravel

Start your trip at the visitor center off of Casey Road, where you’ll find parking and public restrooms. This trail will take you through flowering grasslands filled with pollinators, including many species of butterfly. As you continue along the trail, you will see a variety of habitat, including woodlands and a nearby pond. Keep an eye out for purple martins flitting through the trees, opossums in the woodlands, and wood ducks on the pond.

Sandhill cranes fly above Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Doug Racine/USFWS

Wildlife Drive: 3.5 miles

This auto route is open each year from April until the first snow makes conditions unfavorable. Along the way, you will see waterfowl, marsh birds, bald eagles, osprey, harriers, and shorebirds. Keep an eye out for sandhill cranes. These large birds have an impressive wingspan, long black legs, and relatively short bills. Roll down your windows and listen for their vocalizations including a single, loud warning call, a soft call to maintain contact while foraging, and the synchronized calls of breeding pairs. There are two known nesting pairs that breed at Montezuma the refuge, although they eventually migrate south when winter weather rolls in.

Virginia:

Visitors walk along the paved trails at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Michael Dixon/USFWS

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge:

Wildlife Loop: 3.25 miles, paved loop

This trail offers frequent benches for resting and overlooks for wildlife viewing. Vehicles can drive the loop any day from 3 p.m. to dusk. You’ll see plenty of wading and shorebirds in the mudflats, as well as waterfowl in the shallow waters.

Swan Cove Trail: 1 mile, paved

Branching off the Wildlife Loop, this trail is one of the refuge’s most popular routes to the beach. The trail is bordered by shrub and thicket habitat. Here you may see many different species of pollinators. If you’re lucky, you may even spot the occasional muskrat or otter.

Black Duck Trail: 1 mile, paved

Also branching from the Wildlife Loop, this trail is a great place to look for turtles and songbirds. Download the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Bird Checklist to hone your bird-watching skills.

Woodland Trail: 1.6 miles round trip, paved

Branching from the Black Duck Trail, this pathway leads you through the beautiful pine forest to an overlook where you can sometimes catch a glimpse of the famous Chincoteague ponies. As you travel along the trail, keep an eye out for the flashing silver fur of the Delmarva fox squirrel. This formerly endangered species was officially delisted as of December 2015 as a result of decades of conservation work performed by refuge biologists, state agencies, and recovery partners.

Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge:

The beautiful cyprus trees that grow from Lake Drummond. Rebecca Wynn/USFWS

Lake Drummond Auto Tour: 6 miles

This auto tour will take you through the stunning wetlands that gave Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge its name. See the impressive cyprus marsh as you make your way towards stunning Lake Drummond. There is an accessible pier at the end of this tour offering uncontested views of the lake. The gate is open 7 days a week. Permit and fee are required.

Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge:

Wildlife Drive Auto Tour: 2 miles, one way

As you drive along, you will see expansive views of the wetland habitat that covers 50 percent of the refuge and includes wet meadows, bottomland hardwoods, open freshwater marsh, and tidal marshes and streams. Keep your eyes to the sky. Osprey are one of the most common bird species seen at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. You’re likely to spot these huge birds of prey during the spring and summer. Click here for more information on what other bird species you may see while visiting the refuge.

Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck:

Vegetation grows abundantly at the Great Marsh. USFWS

The Joseph V. Gartlan Great Marsh Trail: 0.75 mile, paved

Follow this trail through the forested peninsula to an observation platform overlooking the Great Marsh. The platform features an accessible telescope and information panels describing typical plants and wildlife found along the trail.

West Virginia:

A sign welcomes visitors to Freeland Boardwalk. USFWS

Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge:

Freeland Trail: 0.4 mile, boardwalk

Freeland Trail is the refuge’s most popular trail. Recently resurfaced and expanded, this boardwalk offers all new views of shrubland, balsam fir forest, and a beaver pond. Be sure to check out the bubbling limestone spring. Parking is available at the trailhead, and restrooms are located at the refuge’s brand new visitor center.

Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge:

Auto Tour: 1.5 miles

This tour runs along the western side of Middle Island and offers views of wildlife along the Ohio River. Be sure to stop at the many informational panels along the way.

Birds and Butterflies Trail: 0.1 mile, paved

Adjacent to the visitor center, this short trail is a great place to find all kinds of pollinators, including monarch butterflies. Bicycle racks, parking, and restrooms can be found next door at the visitor center.