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A wooden boardwalk running between bare trees on a sunny early-spring day

Photo: Ryan Hodnett · CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped to fit and resized

A boardwalk through the woods at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

Great Swamp Refugewildlife

Wildlife refuge

At Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Breeding songbirds in spring, reptiles and amphibians in summer, migratory birds in fall and mammals in winter, per the Fish and Wildlife Service (seasons, not peaks). Its usual window for this year has passed.

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Local timing
Spring

About Great Swamp Refuge

What it is
A wildlife refuge in New Jersey
What you'll see
Wildlife through the year · spring (a season)
Before you go
  • Hours: Open sunrise to sunset; gates can open later or close earlier.
  • Bugs: Mosquitoes, ticks and deer flies May to September: bring repellent.
Sources (1)

Right now at Great Swamp Refuge

Right now in Great Swamp Refuge · October

  • Migratory birds · fall

Your guide to the area

Best spots and nearby places
Wildlife Observation Center
  • Pin color, each place's season now or next:
  • Spring
Places on this map (6)
Map: approximate positions; state lines US Census; spot positions agency pages.

Where to watch

Around Great Swamp Refuge

In season first, then nearest; straight-line miles
Show all 20 →
  • Golden marsh grasses and autumn trees surround open water at Cherry Valley Refuge

    Cherry Valley Refuge

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    37 mi away

    Usual peak: Late October

  • A sailboat with a bright striped sail on blue water, a wooded shoreline and four tall striped smokestacks in the distance

    Target Rock Refuge

    Ospreys in New York

    59 mi away

    Season: March – September

  • A small pale gray and white shorebird with an orange, black-tipped bill and orange legs walking on sand

    Fire Island

    Piping plovers and monarchs in New York

    75 mi away

    In stages: From March to September

  • An arched white bridge over a creek and a small waterfall, with yellow and orange trees around it

    Vanderbilt Mansion

    Fall color in New York

    80 mi away

    Usual peak: Mid-October

  • Several paddleboarders and a canoe on a wide, calm river lined with marsh grass and trees

    Wertheim Refuge

    Waterfowl in New York

    86 mi away

    Best viewing: Late October through early April

  • Sunset over the marsh seen from an observation tower

    Forsythe Refuge

    Warblers in New Jersey

    87 mi away

    Most numerous: Early May

  • A reservoir winding between hills covered in orange and yellow trees under a clear blue sky

    Western Catskills

    Fall color in New York

    99 mi away

    Statewide timing: By mid-October

  • North-South Lake

    Fall color in New York

    105 mi away

    Statewide timing: By mid-October

  • A flock of birds taking off over the refuge

    Bombay Hook

    Waterfowl in Delaware

    112 mi away

    Season: Nov–Dec

  • Aerial view of marsh and forest in fall on the Connecticut coast

    McKinney Refuge

    Fall color in Connecticut

    114 mi away

    Usual peak: Mid- to late October

  • A pale shell-covered beach curving along calm blue water, with low shrubs and a wooded point beyond

    Morton Refuge

    Waterfowl in New York

    114 mi away

    Best viewing: Late October through early April

  • American avocets at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

    Prime Hook Refuge

    Ducks and snow geese in Delaware

    136 mi away

    Season: March

  • Interior of Fort McHenry in Baltimore

    Baltimore (Fort McHenry)

    Cherry blossoms in Maryland

    148 mi away

    Usual peak: The last week of March and the first week of April

  • A bald eagle standing on ice

    Eastern Neck Refuge

    Tundra swans in Maryland

    148 mi away

    Season: Mid- to late November to the end of March

Next season here: Wildlife through the year, spring.

The year at Great Swamp Refuge

  • Breeding songbirdsspring
  • Reptiles and amphibianssummer
  • Migratory birdsNowfall
  • Mammalswinter

Questions people ask

When is the best time to see wildlife at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?

Season: spring. Breeding songbirds in spring, reptiles and amphibians in summer, migratory birds in fall and mammals in winter, per the Fish and Wildlife Service (seasons, not peaks).

Is it the season at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge right now?

Not now: its usual wildlife window for this year has passed. Next time: spring, local timing.

What wildlife can I see at Great Swamp Refuge in each season?

Breeding songbirds in spring, reptiles and amphibians in summer, migratory birds in fall and mammals in winter.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When is Great Swamp Refuge open?

Year-round, sunrise to sunset, seven days a week; gates may open later or close earlier, so you may need to walk in. It occasionally closes for special events or hazardous weather such as flooding or snow.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Are there bugs at Great Swamp Refuge?

Yes: mosquitoes, ticks and deer flies can be numerous from May to September, so bring repellent and protective clothing.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Is Great Swamp Refuge less crowded on some days?

The refuge notes that with many visitors in spring and fall, wildlife viewing on Sundays is often less rewarding.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Where are the best spots in Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?

The best spots are Pleasant Plains Road and Wildlife Observation Center. Pleasant Plains Road: one of the two most popular places to see birds and mammals, as a drive. Wildlife Observation Center: observation blinds for birds and mammals, and boardwalks that are the best area for reptiles and amphibians.

What is Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge has something to see in 11 months of the year. Breeding songbirds: Apr–Jun. Reptiles and amphibians: Jun–Aug. Migratory birds: Sep–Nov. Mammals: Dec–Feb.

How we know · Sources (2)

How we know

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Oct 3) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Oct 3)

All our sources and how we use them →