National Wildlife Refuge Offer Free Walks

WILDWOOD CREST – Come by car, come by bike or come on foot this spring and summer to the Two Mile Beach Unit of Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, located at 12001 Pacific Ave (Ocean Dr.), Wildwood Crest, NJ.
As part of the 12,000 acre Cape May NWR, this 518-acre site is managed to protect one of the last remaining tracts of undeveloped maritime forest and beach in New Jersey. The Dune Trail and Marsh Trail are open from dawn to dusk throughout the year, although the 0.7-mile-long beach portion of TMBU is closed from April 1 to Sept. 30 each year to provide an undisturbed area for birds that require beach habitat to survive. There are two viewing platforms near the beach that are open year-round. Free self-guided trail maps are available at various trailheads and parking areas. The newly-completed Marsh Trail is wheelchair accessible, and ends at a spacious bird blind overlooking salt ponds and marshlands that are usually teeming with birds in all seasons. Sit for a spell and enjoy the quiet!
Friends of Cape May NWR, an all-volunteer non-profit organization, operate the Nature Store at Two Mile, offering books, apparel, gifts, cards, refreshments and information about the Refuge. Friends also offer frequent free and low cost events for families throughout the spring and summer. There are free bird and nature walks that are perfect for beginners or experienced naturalists every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Evening Full Moon Walks are held each month on the Saturday closest to the full moon. Other activities such as the “Third Thursday” Plein Air Outdoor Watercolor Painting classes, photography walks, “Nature-cize” fitness walks and other programs are also popular with visitors and vacationers. For a complete listing of upcoming activities and events, visit the Friends’ website at www.friendsofcapemayrefuge.org, or check their Facebook page (Friends of Cape May NWR). For more information or directions, call 609-513-9349.