Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
749 Wildlife Dr, Galloway, NJ
Galloway, NJ
A vast coastal salt marsh on the great Atlantic Flyway, threaded by a wildlife drive where egrets, herons, and clouds of migrating birds gather with the Atlantic City skyline shimmering on the horizon.
The Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge protects a vast sweep of coastal salt marsh along the New Jersey shore, one of the most important stopovers on the Atlantic Flyway, the great migratory highway that runs down the East Coast. Its centerpiece for visitors is an eight-mile wildlife drive, a one-way loop that winds out into the marsh past pools and impoundments teeming with birds.
The refuge is best known to birdwatchers, who come from far away to see the egrets, herons, ibises, ducks, and shorebirds that gather here by the thousands, especially during spring and fall migration. On a clear day the scene comes with a strange and memorable contrast: a wild, open marsh alive with birds, and the towers of the Atlantic City casinos shimmering on the horizon beyond the reeds.
What Guests Love
- A wildlife drive that loops for miles out into the marsh past pools full of birds
- One of the East Coast's great birding spots on the Atlantic Flyway, alive in migration
- Egrets, herons, ibises, ducks, and shorebirds against a backdrop of open marsh and sky
- The surprising sight of a vast wild marsh with the Atlantic City skyline on the horizon
Worth Knowing
- The wildlife drive is a one-way loop on a narrow dirt road, so drive slowly and watch for stopped birdwatchers
- Bring binoculars, and morning and evening are the best times for light and bird activity
- The marsh is exposed with little shade, so bring sun protection and, in the warm months, insect repellent
- Bird activity peaks during spring and fall migration, so those seasons reward a visit most
Details
Galloway, NJ
Learn about Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
A refuge on the flyway
This coast has always been a crossroads for migrating birds, which follow the Atlantic Flyway between their northern breeding grounds and their southern wintering areas, using the marshes and bays as places to rest and feed. The salt marshes here are among the most productive on the coast, and the refuge was established to protect them and the wildlife they support.
The refuge is named for Edwin B. Forsythe, a conservation-minded congressman who championed the protection of these wetlands. Over the years the refuge grew to encompass tens of thousands of acres of marsh, bay, and upland, safeguarding a vital link in the chain of habitats that migrating birds depend on.
The wildlife drive
The heart of a visit is the wildlife drive, a one-way loop of about eight miles on a raised dirt road that runs out across the marsh and around a series of managed pools. From the car, or on foot at the pullouts, visitors watch wading birds stalk the shallows, ducks paddle the open water, and shorebirds probe the mudflats.
The drive is slow going by design, meant to be taken at a crawl with frequent stops, and it is a favorite of photographers for the way birds gather close to the road. The route ends with the odd and beautiful view of the Atlantic City skyline rising far off across the marsh, wild foreground and city backdrop in a single frame.
The land and its people
These marshes and the bays behind the barrier islands were long the fishing and shellfishing grounds of the Lenape people, whose descendants today include the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape of southern New Jersey. The rich estuaries provided fish, shellfish, and waterfowl, much as they draw birdwatchers and anglers today.
Beyond the wildlife drive, the refuge protects upland forests, freshwater areas, and a piney inland stretch, with hiking trails and observation points scattered across its holdings. The variety of habitats is part of why so many species pass through, from marsh waders to woodland songbirds to birds of prey riding the coastal winds.
The seasons and the birds
Spring and fall migrations are the peak times, when the flyway funnels huge numbers of birds through the refuge and the pools fill with ducks, shorebirds, and wading birds. These are the seasons that draw serious birdwatchers, when a single morning can turn up dozens of species.
Summer brings nesting herons, egrets, and ospreys and the buzz of a marsh in full life, though the heat and insects reward an early start. Winter is stark and quiet, the marsh grasses gone tan and gold, and it brings wintering waterfowl, raptors, and the chance of snowy owls along the coast.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Galloway
Atlantic City
About 12 miles south
The famous shore resort of casinos, boardwalk, and beach, its skyline visible from the refuge marsh.
Historic Smithville
About 3 miles
A restored eighteenth-century village turned shopping and dining village around a millpond, near Galloway.
Batsto Village
About 20 miles northwest
A preserved historic iron and glassmaking village deep in the Pine Barrens, with a mansion and old workshops.