What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 8am - 4pm Wednesday 8am - 4pm Thursday 8am - 4pm Friday 8am - 4pm Saturday 8am - 4pm

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

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Titusville, FL
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Welcome to the Merritt Island NWR page. The Refuge is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Habitats protected by the refuge contribute to species diversity.
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Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established to provide habitat for migratory birds and protection for endangered species. The Refuge's open spaces provide visitors opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreational activities. The refuge is open daily sunrise to sunset. The visitor center is open from 8am until 4 pm Wednesday through Saturday.
*Unexpected road closures can happen without notice.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day from Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge!

Whether you are spending the long weekend fishing, hiking, wildlife watching, paddling, or taking a scenic drive, thank you for helping protect the refuge while you enjoy it.

Please recreate responsibly:

Pack out all trash. ♻️🚯
Give wildlife plenty of space. 🐊🐬
Never feed, touch, or approach wildlife. 🐦‍⬛
Stay on designated roads, trails, and open areas. 🏃‍♂️
Keep pets leashed where pets are allowed. 🐾
Bring water, sun protection, and be prepared for Florida heat and afternoon storms. ☀️🌦️

National wildlife refuges protect important habitats for wildlife and provide places for people to connect with nature. This Labor Day weekend, small choices like driving slowly, respecting closures, and leaving no trace help keep the refuge safe for wildlife and visitors.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

09/05/2026

Want to spend some time outdoors while helping care for your public lands? Join us on Saturday September 19th for International Coastal Cleanup!

When: Saturday, September 19th
Where: Check-in at West Gator Creek Road (Parking lot Kiosk)
What to bring: water, comfortable shoes, sun protection

Rolling check-in will be available from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Refuge staff will provide buckets, trash grabbers, gloves, and directions to cleanup locations around the refuge.

Thank you for helping protect wildlife, habitat, and the public lands we all share!

09/04/2026

This National Wildlife Day, we want to highlight a species we regularly see on the refuge: the gopher tortoise!

Gopher tortoises are considered a Keystone Species, largely because the burrows they dig provide shelter to over 350 other species of animals from predators and wildland fires!

However, they are vulnerable because they depend on dry, sandy upland habitats, and those habitats are becoming harder to find.

You can help gopher tortoises by watching from a distance, keeping pets away from burrows, and respecting the sandy habitats they call home. 🐢

Have you seen a gopher tortoise on the refuge?

Photo by Al B.

08/28/2026

Blackpoint Wildlife Drive has officially reopened as of this morning! Special thanks to our hard working maintenance team & volunteers for making this happen and getting it done before the weekend. Come out and enjoy the smooth roads & wildlife! 🐊🦅

08/24/2026

Today is the day that work begins on the Black Point Wildlife Drive. Please enjoy one of the other Refuge drives, such as BioLab, while the crew works to get Black Point in ship shape condition.

08/19/2026

Wednesday! Alligators are found throughout Florida, from the swamps all the way in our backyards. These beautiful creatures are essential ecosystem engineers, making deep holes of waters (gator holes) during dry seasons that the surrounding wildlife utilize. Baby gators will have light stripes top to bottom running down their body till they're around 10 ft, when they become adults. They can grow a foot a year for the first 4 to 6 years of their lives.

See you later, Alligator!

Image credit: Chloe Ream

08/12/2026

Have you ever spotted a manatee at the refuge?

At Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, portions of the Indian River Lagoon provide important habitat for manatees and many other aquatic species.

When viewing manatees, please remember to watch from a distance, use zoom for photos, never touch or feed them, and follow all posted boating signs.

Thank you for helping protect manatees and the habitat they depend on.

08/11/2026

The turtle nest numbers for this week are in! Still only the 6 leatherbacks. We do not expect that number to increase. 1662 loggerheads and 685 greens. While these numbers are still slowly increasing, the big news at this point in the summer is hatchings! Be sure to keep the beach clean, flat and dark so the newly hatched turtles can make their way to the ocean, quickly and safely.

08/07/2026

This week's sea turtle nest counts: 6 leatherbacks, 601 green and 1629 loggerheads. Remember, the eggs are hatching now, so leave the beach as clean and flat as you can so there are not any obstacles to block the hatchlings form reaching the ocean. This means flattening sand castles and filling in holes.

08/06/2026

Looking for a shady place to walk? Check out the story trail, at the Refuge visitor center (1987 Scrub Jay Way, Titusville). Learn more about alligators as you stroll the 1/4 mile boardwalk and keep your eyes open for gators in the pond. The visitor center is open from 8:30am until 4:00pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

Address

1987 Scrub Jay Way
Titusville, FL

Opening Hours

Tuesday	8am - 4pm
Wednesday	8am - 4pm
Thursday	8am - 4pm
Friday	8am - 4pm
Saturday	8am - 4pm

Telephone

+13218610669

Website

http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/

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