Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge

Show on map 804-829-9020 fw5rw_evrnwr@fws.gov

Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge encompasses the largest contiguous salt marsh ecosystem in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge offers diverse salt marshes, tidal streams, and wooded ridges that support fish, waterfowl, marsh and wading birds, and shorebirds. Serene shorelines offer secluded habitat for breeding and nesting wildlife, including the northern diamondback terrapin.

The refuge offers a rare opportunity for residents and visitors of the Hampton Roads area to safely enjoy expansive views of abundant wildlife thriving in these important, vulnerable, and scarce salt marshes. In partnership with others, the refuge’s wildlife habitats support the rich traditions of hunting, fishing, and boating in the Chesapeake Bay.

Directions

Directions to the Administrative Office: Turn North onto Kimages Road (Route 658) from John Tyler Memorial Highway (Route 5). Proceed approximately 1 mile and turn right into the Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery Campus. The refuge office is located in the fourth brick building. Hours are variable, call prior to visiting. Directions to the Refuge: Plum Tree Island NWR is located in the southeastern most portion of the York–James Peninsula, bounded by the York and James Rivers, and located within the City of Poquoson, Virginia. The refuge is approximately 7 miles north of Hampton, Virginia. The regional context of the project area is defined by the interactions of the nearby metropolitan area and the lower Chesapeake Bay Estuary. The refuge encompasses 3,502 acres of salt marsh, marine shrubland and dune, sandy beaches and mudflats, and estuarine habitats in the lower Chesapeake Bay, near the mouth of the York River. The refuge is bordered by the Poquoson River to the north, lower Chesapeake Bay to the east, Back River to the south, and the undeveloped privately owned salt marsh to the southwest.