Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge


Morton National Wildlife Refuge consists of upland forests, fields, ponds, salt march, beach and a lagoon. Located in Noyak, Long Island, Morton is a 10-15 minute drive to downtown Sag Harbor. Located on the south fork of Long Island, it consists of 1.4 miles of trail and 187 acres.

Elizabeth A. Morton

2595 Noyak Road, Sag Harbor, NY 11963

Morton Refuge is a great place to interact with wild songbirds. The chickadees have become accustomed to people coming with hands full of seeds for them to snack on. If you stand very still near some brush or tree and you release positive, calm energy… you will find a wild being perched on your fingers, trusting you enough to eat from your hand. That’s pretty cool!

The short walk to the beach is surrounded by trees, turkeys and song birds waiting to be fed. In the early spring you will find many songbirds returning from their journey and very hungry. Sunflower seeds seem to be the best for the chickadees but this winter they weren’t too picky. The beach is a peninsula surrounded by Noyak and Little Peconic bays. In the warmer weather it is a great place to bring a kite with the kids.

If you have a child older than 10 I suggest bringing a friend. Things seem to be much cooler to them when they can share the experience with a friend. Bring a bag of bird seed or sunflowers.


45 thoughts on “Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge

  1. Looks fun! I love visiting nature preserves and/or parks. I also totally agree with bringing a friend – it can be a lot more fun for the kiddos.

  2. This looks really cool! Our daughter loves nature so this would be a good idea – especially with a friend!

  3. I love the “bring a friend” tip for the kiddos! I can see that you all had a fabulous time and I’ve added it to my wish list of must-see places!

  4. It looks like a very pleasant and peaceful place. Bringing a friend is a great idea, indeed, especially during those pre-teen years.

  5. Hey Stacy! Looks like the whole family had a great little adventure at the Elizabeth Morton National Wildlife Refuge. While I’ve never heard of it, it looks fantastic. Great photos.

  6. This is my kind of day! We love connecting through nature and being outside. Thanks for sharing these great photos and information. We will have to check it out when we visit NY.

  7. Looks like a great trip. I will have to keep it in mind to visit. I love to get out in nature whenever I can!

  8. What a fun visit for kids. It must be so beautiful in the summer with all the green and right on the beach. Love a bird visit too.

  9. I love how you thought about how to make it more interesting for kids over than ten – bringing a friend, great idea!!! What a fun activity, too ~ feeding the chickadees? Looks like a fun day!

  10. I remember my first visit here 20 years ago. Now I am about to have a mom’s day out and visit with my friends. It really is so much fun to see the wild turkeys and have a little chickadee on your fingertip. I’ll bring my kids another time!

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