Fire Island National Seashore

10/22/2026

Recreational Driving Closed Due to Elevated Tides

Due to an offshore storm creating heavy surf, strong winds and elevated tides, portions of the beach west of Smith Point have become impassable to vehicles. Recreational driving will be closed through Thursday (10/23/26) and reassessed Friday morning.

All park alerts: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

10/15/2026

West Nile Virus detected in Mosquito Samples at the Carrington Tract

West Nile Virus has been detected at the Carrington Tract from mosquito samples collected on September 30, 2026. Increased surveillance of mosquitoes in the area will continue. It is recommended visitors limit or forego outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.

Learn more about mosquito safety: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/avoid-mosquitoes.htm

Learn more about mosquito monitoring at Fire Island: https://www.nps.gov/.../management/mosquito-management.htm

10/05/2026

West Nile Virus detected in Mosquito Samples at Watch Hill

West Nile Virus has been detected at Watch Hill from mosquito samples collected on September 22, 2026. Increased surveillance of mosquitoes in the area will continue. It is recommended visitors limit or forego outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.

Learn more about mosquito safety: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/avoid-mosquitoes.htm

Learn more about mosquito monitoring at Fire Island: https://www.nps.gov/.../management/mosquito-management.htm

10/05/2026

Today’s homework: thank a teacher.

National parks are places where students can learn about history by standing where it happened, explore science by observing nature, and discover stories that help us better understand the people and places that shaped our world.

Behind those experiences are teachers helping students ask questions, make connections, and learn about the world around them.

On World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the educators who inspire curiosity, encourage exploration and remind us that learning can happen just about anywhere. (Including places with a really good view.)

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/teachers/index.htm

NPS Image

10/05/2026

Every day from October 12 to November 5, 2026, visit Mission San José's granary during park hours (9am-5pm) to view the mission descendant community's family ofrendas.

Ofrendas are an essential part of Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead. The word ofrenda means offering in Spanish. They are also called "altares" or altars, but not for worship. These altars are not only full of family pictures, but of symbols and meaning, honoring the ancestors who have passed, and offering them items of the celebration such a "pan de mu**to" and marigold flowers.

NPS Photo

10/04/2026

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” — Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables

And we’re rather glad there are national parks to experience them in. Fall is a great time to get outside and enjoy the spectacular spectacle (say that five times fast) of changing leaves. There is plenty of room for imagination when you find yourself surrounded by forests painted in brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. In our experience, you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. So consider this your invitation to find a little wonder, a little enchantment, and perhaps a kindred spirit among the trees.

Forests, woods, and shrublands in national parks put on their autumn colors from September through December. There’s a whole world of beauty waiting to be explored!

Image 1: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Image 2: Great Smoky Mountains NP
Image 3: Great Sand Dunes NPP
Image 4: Rocky Mountain National Park
Image 5: TheodoreRooseveltNPS

10/03/2026

“On October 3rd, he asked what day it was.” — Cady Heron

It’s October 3rd.

October is kind of a big deal around here. The autumn months splash many national parks with a rich array of fall colors, while cooler temperatures have wildlife getting ready for winter. Some are migrating. Some are gathering food. Some are putting on extra layers.

Same, honestly.

So whether you’re here for the foliage, the wildlife, or simply to judge the leaves on their color palette, national parks are a pretty fetch place to experience fall. Fetch? We’re making it happen.

And if you want to keep up with what’s happening in parks this season, you can find more ways to connect with your national parks at the link below.
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/fall-season.htm

Image: Red Osier Dogwood leaves stand out against aspen trunks at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. NPS/Patrick Myers

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

One of the perks of working as an intern on Fire Island is getting to live at the beach for the summer. The trade-offs? No personal vehicles and no WiFi. So what did our interns do in their free time after work this summer? They designed a field guide.

The handmade field guide provides general information to future interns and biological science technicians at the seashore from the perspective of those on the ground. It also demonstrates the first-hand knowledge gained over the course of the field season and the dedication to the work of monitoring Fire Island’s plants and animals. Hand-drawn, hand-written, and hand-bound with original photography, the booklet was presented as a token of gratitude to the Seashore’s lead biologist at the close of field season by a group of interns who spent the summer living at Watch Hill.

Interns and biological science technicians monitor species of special concern like piping plovers, least terns, and seabeach amaranth. They also survey vegetation in the Sunken Forest and monitor wildlife such as white-tailed deer.

Kudos to our summer interns for their hard work! This field guide makes their passion for their work obvious.

Interested in internships and employment at Fire Island National Seashore? Check our social media outlets for future job or internship postings. All federal jobs are listed at USAjobs.gov.

Want to learn more about wildlife monitoring at the Seashore? Check out our page on Piping Plover monitoring: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/learn/management/piping-plovers-management.htm

NPS Photos

10/02/2026

Wherever military life takes you, there’s likely a park adventure nearby.

Active-duty military members, Veterans, and Gold Star families can get a free America the Beautiful Pass, providing access to national parks and federal recreation sites across the country.

Active-duty military families can also find free events, nearby outdoor opportunities, and resources for exploring national parks, public lands, and waterways through the Military Families Outdoors Program, wherever military life takes them. Visit: go.nps.gov/mfo

Whether you’re PCSing, exploring near your duty station, or looking for a weekend adventure, your next park visit may be closer than you think.

NPS Photo: Rangers at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park recently teamed up with Blue Star Families and community partners for a day of fishing, outdoor fun, and family time at Fletchers Cove.

Blue Star Families Defense Public Health

10/01/2026

Fat Bear Week has officially lumbered to a close.

What a week. As they say, a journey of roughly 3,000 to 4,500 calories begins with a single salmon. Something like that. There might be some steps involved too.

In the end, 16 bears entered. Bear 89 “Backpack” became champion. Talk about the hunger games. And several ate their way into our hearts. Figuratively. And thousands of us humans spent an unreasonable amount of time judging bears for being excellent at being, well, bears.

It was a week of big bellies, bigger appetites, and absolutely no regrets. We shared some science, learned about the Alaskan ecosystem, stood around for hours watching large mammals eat, and found multiple way to incorporate “chonk” in everyday vocabulary.

Now the bears have more important things to do, such as eating then sleeping, a bit more eating, sleeping, and finally preparing to sleep after eating. As for the rest of us, we all return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Must we?

We must.

We will miss you, Fat Bear Week. Until next year: stay chunky, stay hungry, and remember: there’s always room for one more salmon.

NPS Images

10/01/2026

10/01/2026

Now that Fat Bear Week is over, it's time for Chunky Puppy Day! Tune in to the Puppy Cam tomorrow, Thursday, October 1, at 2pm AK time to find out how big the America's Best Idea litter got this summer.

How much do you think they weigh now? Share your guesses in the comments below.

NPS Photo: Graupel from the Weather litter during a weigh-in last year.

09/30/2026

Main Beach Staircase at Watch Hill Closed Due to Storm Damage

The beach staircase on the main dune crossing at Watch Hill is closed due to storm damage. Visitors should use the western dune crossing as an alternative.

For current conditions and alerts: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

09/30/2026

This is the ideal marmot body. You may not like it. You may not understand it. But this is what peak performance looks like.

Now that Fat Bear Week is over, we’re returning to our regularly scheduled programming: other fat mammals.

The tundra-dwelling yellow-bellied marmots have been preparing for hibernation for the last couple of months. Since marmots spend more than half their lives hibernating, they’ve developed some impressive adaptations for surviving the winter:

✅ First, they’ve been building up healthy fat reserves (sound familiar? Bears. Us too, but that’s another post) to sustain them for up to eight months. Basically, a nice winter savings account.

✅ When they finally enter hibernation, they become true hibernators, slowing their heart rate from around 200 beats per minute to as low as 30. It’s an impressive energy-saving strategy.

✅ Speaking of saving, they also save on utilities by cuddling up with the colony in a communal burrow. Because heating is expensive, and roommates are the answer. Was that on the lease?

NPS Photo: A rotund marmot standing on a rock at Rocky Mountain National Park

09/29/2026

Tonight! Join us for a virtual community workshop. We will explore ideas to connect communities with formal pathways from Fire Island Lighthouse to Kismet and Cherry Grove to Fire Island Pines. The meeting will be hosted virtually via Microsoft Teams.
Increased pedestrian use within these areas has led to new challenges ensuring visitor safety, accessibility, and resource protection.

Through this workshop, participants may engage in the planning process. The diverse perspectives of community members and the public will inform our next steps.

See our calendar for information and for the Microsoft Teams meeting link: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=E8915825-BFAB-8B84-C798F57BB1BAAA53

NPS Photo

09/25/2026

William Floyd Estate Closed Due to High Winds

The grounds of the William Floyd Estate are closed Friday, 9/25 through Sunday, 9/27 due to high winds and the potential of falling trees. The Old Mastic House is closed to tours.

More: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

09/25/2026

Storm-Related Closures 9/25/26-9/27/26

Due to potential high winds and flooding, all Visitor Centers (Wilderness, Watch Hill, Sailors Haven, Lighthouse), concessions at Sailors Haven and Watch Hill, backcountry camping, Watch Hill campground, and lodging houses are closed Saturday 9/26-Sunday 9/27.

More: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

09/23/2026

West Nile Virus detected in Mosquito Samples at Multiple Seashore Sites

West Nile Virus has been detected at the Carrington Tract and Watch Hill from mosquito samples collected on September 8, 2026. Increased surveillance of mosquitoes in the area will continue. It is recommended visitors limit or forego outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.

Learn more about mosquito safety: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/avoid-mosquitoes.htm

Learn more about mosquito monitoring at Fire Island: https://www.nps.gov/.../management/mosquito-management.htm

09/22/2026

Mark your calendar and join us on Tuesday, September 29 at 6:00 pm for a virtual community workshop. We will explore ideas to connect communities with formal pathways from Fire Island Lighthouse to Kismet and Cherry Grove to Fire Island Pines. The meeting will be hosted virtually via Microsoft Teams.

Increased pedestrian use within these areas has led to new challenges ensuring visitor safety, accessibility, and resource protection.

Through this workshop, participants may engage in the planning process. The diverse perspectives of community members and the public will inform our next steps.

See our calendar for information and for the Microsoft Teams meeting link: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=E8915825-BFAB-8B84-C798F57BB1BAAA53

NPS Photo