elizabeth a. morton national wildlife refuge

Normally I would expect animals to hide and not to play hide and seek with visitors. These birds and rabbits, the turkeys even, they come check you out and then they hide for a while but trust me, they'll be back. Chipmunks are all over and they are fast too and they know it. I guess the proper kind of people visit this Refuge otherwise animals would hide from visitors all the time. I live in the woods most of the time so i understand why it is important not to feed the animals, no matter how cute they are. But here they come to you even if you don't feed them at all. That's why it is paradise, clear crystal water and sandy beaches and beautiful shells along the beach. Just a majestic place.

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 allowed. 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. The staff does frequently check the parking lot and will give parking fee reminders and sometimes tickets if you don't pay. Overall I recommend this refuge, it is a great place to take the family on nice day and a great way to get outdoors!

The birds eat right out of your hands. There are wild turkeys, chipmunks, frogs, turtles, swans, - it's like Dr. Doolittle land. The trails are lovely and open into a gorgeous pristine beach. It is romantic and also a great family place. If you are a bird lover I highly recommend it. Easy walking I had flip flops on and walked for about 2 hrs.

The Morton Preserve is a wonderful place for persons of all ages to enjoy and explore. There are two trails, one that makes a loop around a marshy pond and the other that will take you out to the beach by Jessup's Neck. You'll see deer, turkeys, chipmunks and tons of birds. Chickadees? Well, if you walk very slowly in certain areas and hold your hands out with some sunflower seeds, the little birds will happily fly and perch on your fingers while deciding which seed to take. Don't toss the seed on the trail, they don't want to attract certain wildlife. Walk to the beach and enjoy the protected water's edge. A donation is suggested to help maintain the area, which is only fair. It's an easy walk for just about anyone. I make a point of visiting it as often as I can.

Ever wanted to feel like Snow White? I mean the scene where she sings and all the animals come to her and surround her and make her feel special....well that's the feeling you get here (minus the singing). It's very cool to take a hike and extend your arm and have a bird come and eat from your hand. Make sure to spend some time at the beach at the end of the trail. I took a group of teenagers to walk, spend the day and we ended up in a meditation session at the beach. It was an awesome experience.

Just visited this place and it was awesome. You can walk the trails and feed the birds too. I highly recommend this place to any one who likes birds or who has kids and are looking for something fun to do.

A wonderful nature walk to the beach! You can feed the chickadees in your hand ...so much fun. Bring basic black sunflower seeds...lay your hand out flat and wait...children and adults all love it!

This is a great spot to walk on their trails. Well kept with easy walking.Went with friends who have a summer house on the bay just down the road. Watch out for bugs. Good bird watching.

Took out grandchildren there and we had the most amazing time. The grounds are BEAUTIFUL...the birds and chipmunks eat right out of your hand. Make sure you bring black bird seed (looks like pumpkin seeds)

I go here every year with the kids , its a nice little nature walk and water views. The kids enjoy seeing the animals , deer , turkeys and lots of birds as well as some other critters. They mostly enjoy putting bird feed in there hands and waiting for the birds to eat out of them. The walk by the water is breathtaking and the kids also enjoy collecting shells off the beach. There are bathrooms at the very begining which is always a plus.

Easy water-side and forest trails, great for little kids. The wild birds will eat seed right out of your hand.

Bird watching, chicadee feeding, and walking thru woods and out to the beach in a short, compressed time makes this a special short visit destinations.