Bon Secour
Plan Your Visit
While visiting the refuge consider stopping by the visitor contact station to learn about the local flora and fauna and chat with refuge staff and volunteers who can provide helpful information, maps, brochures and checklists. The trails showcase native plants, animals, and many different habitats. Paddlers can see the refuge from Little Lagoon by accessing the canoe / kayak launch at the Jeff Friend Trail. Whether it's the solitude of watching a soaring hawk through your binoculars, learning about the amazing journey of a migrating songbird on a guided walk, or simply playing in the surf with your kids there are a ton of great ways to connect with nature at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.
Our small visitor contact station is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. CST, excluding federal holidays.
Our trails and beach access locations are open from sunrise until sunset 7 days a week.
Trails
Refuge trails give visitors an opportunity to discover different habitats of the refuge: dunes, swales, wetlands, maritime forests and scrub habitats. All refuge trails are designed for foot traffic, bicycles are not allowed.
At this time, all trails are open, however, the Centennial boardwalks have been closed due to safety concerns. You can still walk the centennial trail up to the boardwalk on both sides. We are working on repairing and replacing these sections, please check back for updates here and on our social media for re-openings.
Rules and Policies
All America the Beautiful passes, including the Annual, Senior, Access, Military and 4th Grade passes are available for purchase at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge visitor contact station from Monday through Friday, except for federal holidays, from 9am-1pm. The forms of payment accepted are cash or check. Exact change is appreciated.
All America the Beautiful passes, including the Annual, Senior, Access, Military and 4th Grade passes are available for purchase at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge visitor contact station from Monday through Friday, except for federal holidays, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Activities
Featured Species
Get Involved
Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature or share your love of the outdoors, you’ve come to the right place. National wildlife refuges provide many opportunities for you to help your community and fish and wildlife by doing what you love.
Services
About
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge was established by Congress in 1980 for the protection of neotropical migratory songbird habitat and threatened and endangered species. It represents an important stopover and staging habitat for migratory birds during the fall and spring migration along the Alabama coastline. The refuge also provides crucial habitat for the endangered Alabama beach mouse and nesting grounds for loggerhead, green, and Kemp's Ridley sea turtles. Management is aimed at protecting and preserving these unique habitats for generations to come.
The refuge also provides crucial habitat for the endangered Alabama beach mouse that inhabits the beach dune and scrub/shrub habitats found along the Fort Morgan Peninsula. Beach mice have experienced a substantial reduction in available habitat, primarily due to coastal development. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge protects the last remaining undisturbed beach mouse habitat found in Alabama, consisting of several key plant communities that form a mosaic of micro-habitats.
Loggerhead, green, and Kemp's Ridley sea turtles nest on Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge beaches. Conservation strategies to protect these turtles under the Endangered Species Act include on-site nest monitoring and protection, as well as fostering a public ethic through educational programs.
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge is aimed at protecting and preserving these unique habitats and associated wildlife for generations to come. The refuge also serves as a living laboratory for students and scientists, and provides wildlife oriented public recreation.