Tucked away along the eastern shore of New Hampshire’s Great Bay in Newington, the Great Bay Wildlife Refuge was formerly a weapons storage area at Pease Air Force Base. Established as a refuge in 1992, Great Bay is now a protected home for some of the state’s most beautiful native wildlife. Open to the public for hiking, biking, hunting, and more, Great Bay is the perfect refuge for both animals and people who want to appreciate all the natural beauty New Hampshire’s seacoast has to offer.
The Great Bay Wildlife Refuge boasts one of the longest stretches of undeveloped shoreline along the bay and has 1,000 acres of some of the most diverse wildlife habitats in the region.
It features everything from open coastal water, ponds, and salt and fresh water marshes, to woodlands, mud flats, streams, and fields.
Thanks to its rich habitats and diverse wildlife, Great Bay provides a home for many of New Hampshire’s state-protected species, including the common loon, ospreys, common tern, northern harriers and upland sandpipers.
In the summer, visitors will be able to see white-tailed deer out and about with their fawns and flocks of wild turkey. The sky will host an eye-catching collection of birds, including Baltimore orioles, goldfinches, and yellow warblers.
In the fall, the trails burst with some of the best foliage in the state, with trees showing off their bright reds, oranges, and yellow leaves on every side.
Great Bay serves as an important migration and wintering habitat for the federally protected bald eagle. Visitors can try to catch a glimpse of the regal birds and appreciate the winter beauty by cross-country skiing or snowshoeing through the refuge in the colder months.
Visitors can enjoy the view from any of Great Bay’s hiking trails, like the Ferry Way Trail or the shorter Peverly Pond Loop.
The Great Bay Wildlife Refuge is a great place to get away from it all and enjoy the solitude and serenity of nature. Is is open to the public most days from dawn to dusk. You can learn more about Great Bay on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website.
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