Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge

A very special gem in the National Wildlife Refuge system. We've been going here for over 35 years before it was on anyone's radar. When you go, please be respectful and responsible visitors. Do not leave trash behind. Try to be quiet when walking on the trails - you'll see more birds and wildlife. If you're looking for some serenity and appreciate nature, this is it. The beach is beautiful as well. Be aware of the signs when Piping Plovers & Terns are nesting.

What a gem!! The birds were eating from our hands!! What an experience!!We saw chipmunks, wild turkeys, bunnies, and beavers too. The best was the trail leading to a beautiful beach. The water was calm, crystal clear and so peaceful.. Loved this place!! You pay for parking which is $4 or you can make a donation. There is a pay kiosk upon entering with all the details. There was plenty of parking.

What a gem of a place! Wildlife, beautiful trails and beach. It's a 3/4 mile hike down to the beach area and viewing post, but you might get accosted by various animals and birds on your walk. The birds will eat out of your hand if you have something good to feed them. We even saved a puffer fish from becoming lunch 😂

Love to go here on a walk especially when there is low foot traffic and quiet. Beautiful & peaceful from start to finish.

Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse oneself in nature for a couple of hours. The walk is gentle, with a manageable distance, but the highlight is the ability to pause at any moment, extend your hands, and watch as birds gracefully approach. The beach is picturesque, with invitingly fresh and crystal-clear waters. Near the beginning of the trail, there's a picnic area ideal for enjoying a family lunch together.

Had fun seeing some tufted titmouse, chickadees, woodpeckers, sparrows, cardinals and bluejays. Really fun place to visit if you like animals. If you bring seeds, the birds will eat right out of your hand. Pretty amazing experience.

Magical place. People were feeding birds straight from their hands. I don’t recommend it but they seemed to be enjoying it. Birds, groundhogs, rabbits and squirrels everywhere. It was like being in a Disney movie. I’d never seen so many Red Cardinals. I had ducks and chickadees coming up to me. I think they thought I had food for them. Beach was beautiful and the water clear and warm on a rainy day. Nice experience.

Awesome place for a walk! I went on Christmas Day so not to many people, not sure how it is normally. Lots of little stops with platforms and benches. Bring bird seed and at the end of the trail that leads to the beach the birds will land and eat out of your hand. There’s a kiosk that demands 4 bucks for parking but it was solar powered and it was cloudy out not sure how to pay them 🤓

Fantastic nature walk with trails leading to the Peconic Bay. Spend a few hours walking the wooded trails where cute chipmunks approach, as well as baby bunnies, birds and other critters. All are extremely friendly. Some even look for handouts, although feeding them is frowned upon. Follow the trail signs and you'll find yourself gazing at the sea and surrounding areas. The Elizabeth A. Morton National Nature Wildlife Preserve is a must do!

Elizabeth Morton Nature Preserve is one of my favorite places, even though I don't get to visit as often as I'd like. I brought my cousin yesterday and we had such a wonderful time strolling through the forest. Along the way we saw squirrels, chipmunks, turkeys, birds, and even a mole--which he actually saved and returned to a nearby hole in the ground! He wasn't too interested in holding his hands out for the birds to land on (one of the most magical parts of this place), but he absolutely loved the beach at the end of the trail. It's a beautiful mix of forest and shoreline, peaceful and full of life. Can't wait to come back!

One of the coolest experiences of my life, i've never felt so connected to nature before! Make sure you bring your own bird seed though! A perfect activity for families, for dates, for anyone really. You don't even need to walk that far into the trail for the birds to start landing in your hand. My grandpa even got one right by the sign in the very front! Deeper into the trails themselves, the views become very picturesque. From bridges to lakes to the trees themselves, everywhere you turn there is something beautiful. There were also many opportunities to sit down too if you get tired easily which was perfect for my grandpa. Feeling the little feet of the birds in your palm is truly an experience like no other. I'm so excited to come back here again!

Enjoy a tranquil walk through this wildlife refuge. The chirping sounds from the variety of birds is so relaxing and peaceful. Bring bird seed and have fun watching the birds eat from your hand. Stillness and patience is a must.

This is one of my favorite places in the Hamptons. It feels like there are at least five different climates you experience walking through here. Incredible birds and native plants to be seen. I can't recommend it enough! One of those places you have to check off your list and visit more then once. They have, what I liked to call, main area. They have long and short trail where you observe wildlife, plants and get to see some fantastic birds in the wild. A hidden gem in The hamptons! Beautiful birds and walking trails along the water. Kids will love it. And it's not a busy trail. Bring your own bird seeds to feed the birds. Don't be surprised if you see an Egret or even an Osprey on this journey. They also have, what I like to call across the street, trails with a small pond and another side of the bay. Here you can spot multiple creatures, some of which are swan, ibis, variety of herons and if you walk around to various stations that are placed around entire grounds, they have multiple osprey nesting spots and yes, you will definitely see the osprey, deers, turkeys, etc! I highly recommend this place to anyone with enthusiasm in photography or just nature exploration. They have a nice beach at the end of the refugee you can hang out and take in some sun on a nice day. Parking lot is small so get here early on weekend. Parking lot fee is $4.00 dollars.

This is a peaceful, relaxing place for a walk either alone or with your family. If you are quiet as you walk, there are lots of birds to see! Everything from a family of turkeys to swans, cardinals, woodpeckers, and more. I also saw several chipmunks and squirrels. You start out walking on trails through the woods and past a pond with swans and ducks. As you continue on the path, you eventually make it to a secluded beach. This is a quiet and lovely spot with quite the view! Only $4 per car to park, and it is well worth it. You will leave with a sense of serenity after your visit!

Great place to go any time of year! I had so much fun feeding the birds. There's also a path that leads to the beach. Make sure you bring bird seed, it's an awesome experience!

Very nice nature preserve in LI. Great spot for a short hike through a wooded area and there is also a trail running to the beach. A quiet and secluded park that was not too crowded on a summer Wednesday. We saw numerous birds including a gigantic swan and also a turtle in a pond. Benches scattered throughout to provide a place to sit. The beach is secluded and closed off to give the piping plovers peace to reproduce. You can check this place out in about two hours.

Must see! A secret little gem out East. You bring your own bird food and you'll have a few birds landing right on you to get some and chipmunks running close to you! Fun for the whole family

Nice place for trails. Bring your wild bird seed to feed the birds right from your hand. There is a beach trail that's brings you to the water. Have fun.

Extremely cool hiking trail with really friendly wildlife. We brought a bag of bird seed and held our hands out and tiny little birds would fly and sit on your hand to get food. It was the most magical experience I had as an adult. There is a $4 donation box to walk in but it is worth it. I was able to take great shots of the birds and even got to feed some chipmunks. A key thing is to bring sunflower seeds as birds love those. Over all I had a great time and highly recommend families to come here with their kids It really teaches them patience and gives them the experience to handle wild life

Feeding the birds by hand was an incredible experience Beautiful peaceful place and the kids loved it. We didn't explore too much as it was cold but we will be back

One of my favorite places on the island, whether you are a local or just a visitor you should definitely check this place out! There is a nice hiking trail that leads to the beach and another one that loops around on itself, I suggest going through both of them. The highlight of this place however is that the birds will land on your hand if you have black seeds! It is absolutely amazing and the only place that I have ever been to that is like this. The first time that the bird landed on my hand I was shocked and excited, I didn't think that it would actually work. If you have the patience the birds will absolutely come to you. Definitely check this place out and try to feed some of the birds!

Great spot for a short 1/2 mile walk with lots of wildlife especially birds that will eat out of your hand. Saw deer, turkeys and chipmunks.

Love , Love , Love this little Sanctuary !!! Great for all ages. Small walk so good for elderly folk as well. I took my 3yr old grandson who just got so excited by the birds eating from his hands !

Absolutely incredible place! My girlfriend and I stopped by on 03/26/2019. First off it's a great place for kids who want to be closer to nature and the peacefulness is just what any person could need. It's a bonus if you love birds, bring bird seed and just hold your hand out and watch the beautiful birds eat from your hand. Only complaint is how small the preserve is. One last thing to know is bring cash for parking.

Such an awesome and serene place to go for some calmness.Wen you get out from the city, take a break before the parties and calm yourself.

When going to this refuge/park, be sure to bring some bird seed. Put some in your hand, hold it out and wait. The birds will actually land in your palm and eat from it. That's kind of cool. There's plenty of scenery here and a trail leads down to the bay which is also very scenic and quite peaceful. For me, this was a great getaway and nice day out. I'm just gonna quote from the site here a little: Established December 27, 1954, through a donation by the Morton family, the 187-acre Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge boasts exceptionally diverse habitats including bay beach, a brackish pond, a freshwater pond, kettle holes, tidal flats, saltmarsh, freshwater marsh, shrub, grasslands, maritime oak forest, and red cedar. The refuge's diversity is not only critical to Long Island wildlife, but its picturesque quality is nothing short of an advertisement in a travel magazine! Habitats along the beach attract many species including nesting piping plovers, roseate terns, least terns, common terns, and shorebirds. The waters surrounding the refuge are considered critical habitat for juvenile Kemp's Ridley sea turtles and are occasionally used by loggerhead sea turtles. Waterfowl use of the refuge peaks during the colder months. Long-tailed ducks, white winged scoter, goldeneye and black ducks will most likely be spotted during winter.

If you're looking for a great stroll along the water you found it. Taking the walk to the end of the park will give you an amazing perspective of the park. If thats a bit far there's a great little loop trail that will provide you with plenty of opportunity to see wildlife, if you're lucky you will see the wild turkey's that roam the park. This beautiful place is also known for its very friendly little birds that will eat seeds from your hands, just be patient and stay still.

We had such a nice day hiking the trails. Feeding the birds was the best experience. If you plan to visit remember to bring some bird seed.

Came here on a sunday and the parking lot was full. I came here for the sole purpose of having birds eat out of my hand (as did everyone else i talked to). We were greeted with about 5 big signs that told us not to feed the birds! Walking along the path i would say about 80% of the visitors were looking to feed the birds. Signs continually reminded us to stay on the path and not wander into the woods. I assumed that idiots in the past have made it this way. I would recommend coming here during the week when its less crowded. The crowds and screaming children scared most of the birds away. Something else i noticed was that people were using this sanctuary as a way to enjoy the beach without having to pay for parking. The path leads to a beautiful beach. The fee (based on the honor system) is $4.00 which i gladly paid and everyone i saw did too.

We all love feeding the birds and chipmunks..stand quiet and still with some black oil sunflower seeds in your flat palm arm stretched out and they will sit in your hand and eat!

Lovely but small nature preserve with lots of wildlife-- turkeys, deer and the famous chickadees. Over a mile of hiking trails. There is $4 donation, to be placed in envelope at the entrance. Flush toilets near the entrance. Great place for families, and children of all ages.

One of our Favorite places to visit! Any season - the birds are always there. Our grand kids LOVE it. Simply An amazing awesome experience for everyone. Love nature and the outdoors - The scenery is beautiful as you walk through the trails to the shoreline!

Wonderful three hours spent here walking the trails, feeding the birds and checking out the beach. Great opportunities to see endangered bird species and the osprey nest. Didn't see any turtles but I know they're out there in the fresh water pond. The view of the Peconic Bay is outstanding -- very interesting to note how close the north and south forks are at this point. You can see Shelter Island and Robin's Island from the beach as well.

What a hidden gem! Who's heard of a place where birds and chipmunks eat food right out of your hand! I visited for the first time over the weekend and wow! It really makes you feel like you're somewhere else, not on Long Island. Located just outside of Sag Harbor, it was a bit of a drive, but there wasn't much traffic and the drive was scenic as times. There is a fee per car ($4) which you have to self-pay. Just toss the money in an envelope with your lisence plate number on the ticket, throw half the ticket on your dash for parking and drop the other half in the box. This place, like many others, is able to stay open from donations so don't be a jerk. Just pay. When you walk up the path they have the information center and the bathrooms. The staff was very helpful and gave you the run down before you began your walk. She advised to only put a small amount of seed in your hand for the birds to feed, and to not leave large piles of birdseed on the trails. This attracts the rats, and the rats end up eating the eggs which decreases the bird population. There are two trails, on that leads right to the Peconic Bay, and one that circles around but then forks off giving you the option to head down to the bay. Both trails are about 3/4mi. Walking along you will see chipmunks scurrying about and birds flying overhead. Stand still with bird seed in your hand and just wait. It is the COOLEST thing! You're able to lay on the beach and swim in the bay when you make your way down there. It's a really nice little spot. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting this park and would recommend it!

This place is amazing! There are so many birds and the view from the beach is beautiful!

What a cool place nestled in the east end! There is a 3/4 mile path through the refuge and you can walk down to the water. You can hand feed the birds! I can't wait to come back in all seasons.

Fantastic time at this slice of serenity. The walk to the stretch of beach was about 15 minutes and it was oh, so, enjoyable. If you brought bird seed, you can stop along the way and put some seed in your hands and feed the birdies. Bring extra sunflower seeds, that's what they seemed to like best. Try the trail too. It was a quaint little loop where you get to take in more nature. Love, love, love this spot.

My favorite and most relaxing place. Bring Sunflower seeds and literally have the birds eating out of your hands! Walk to the beach. Enjoy nature.

A great spot to bring the kids . Get a bag of sunflower seeds and feed the birds and chipmunks right out of your hand. We also spotted wild turkeys and rabbits here.

This place is a hidden gem in Sag Harbor. There is a loop trail, and then another path that branches off to the beach. Bring bird seed or pumpkin seeds, because the little chickadees and other songbirds will eat it right from your hand. We had a rafter of wild turkeys follow us along the trail. There were plenty of migratory birds, turtles, and other wildlife to study and admire. Our nieces loved it as well.

Great place to spend the day with the kids! Don't forget to bring your bird seed so that the birds will come and eat out of your hand

sweetest little park :) best time to visit is during a week day- the busier and more crowded the park is...the less the birdies want to say hi! if you're the only one around they'll all come and grab some seed from your palm :) enjoy your trip!

The Elizabeth A. Morton NWR is a beautiful place to go for a hike, view wildlife, and take photos. The refuge has many unique and rare birds that are endangered and for that reason, feeding birds and other wildlife is NOT encouraged. If you do bring bird seed, the staff will ask you to keep it in your hands and off the trail because the seed is attracting rats, which eat the bird eggs. Despite this, the refuge is still a great place to come with your family. The beach is open for visitors to fish, walk on, and swim (but I would recommend water shoes because of rocks). The visitor center is open on Friday from 10am to 3pm and they have binoculars and field guides for visitors to borrow. There is a fee to get into the refuge, $4 for cars. If you go often, it pays to get the annual pass. You put the $12 fee in the yellow envelope at the fee kiosk and write your address on it. They will mail you the pass. Overall I recommend this refuge, it is a great place to take the family on nice day and a great way to get outdoors!

This is the most amazing place ever. It is gorgeous and full of life. In addition to birds that will eat out of your hand, there are rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, turkeys, wild blackberries, and grapes. Around every corner, there is something to admire.

I could see where this would be a nice place to spend some time, however, I called ahead to see if the place was wheelchair accessible as my daughter was wheelchair bound with a broken leg. I was told that it was totally wheelchair accessible. NOT SO! Maybe if one had a motorized wheelchair, but we could not push the chair through the sand on the trails, so it was an hour's ride for not so much fun.