LOCALITY |
OWNER |
ACRES |
ACCESS |
NEWS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Northampton | DCR | 445 | Yes |
SITE DESCRIPTION:
This 445-acre preserve encompasses woodlands, forested wetlands and extensive salt marshes. These communities provide habitat for a variety of coastal species. Waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds forage in the salt marsh for mussel, snails, fish and crustaceans. Diamondback terrapins and clapper rails are common on the mud flats. The woodlands provide excellent resting and foraging habitat for migratory songbirds. Warblers, orioles and other migratory songbirds utilize the abundance of trees and shrubs to rest and replenish energy reserves before crossing the Chesapeake Bay.
Approximately 190 acres of former agricultural fields have been converted to migratory songbird habitat.
VISITATION:
The preserve is open daily to the public, but has no restroom facilities, trash receptacles, access to drinking water or on-site staff. Be aware that the Magothy Bay parking lot is small, with space for only five (5) vehicles. If you arrive and the lot is full, please return later. Do not park illegally on adjacent private property, along the access road, within a public road right-of-way or in any other non-designated location.
There are two portions of the Preserve with some public access facilities. The main portion of the preserve with a gravel parking lot at the end of Bull Lane has an out-and-back trail that goes through restored migratory songbird habitat, into a coastal pine forest, and out to a dike overlooking the tidal salt marsh along Magothy Bay. It connects to a USFWS Eastern Shore National Wildlife Refuge trail as well. Additionally, on Latimer Siding Rd, easily accessed from the regional bike trail, there is a quarter mile loop around a pollinator area and adjacent an early successional habitat.
As with all Preserves, blaze orange attire is advised during the fall/winter hunting season. Although hunting is NOT allowed on the Preserve, nearby VDWR and USFWS properties allow seasonal hunting. Please contact their management for more information.
Please practice "leave no trace" by packing out all trash. Take only photographs and leave only footprints.
Part or all of the preserve may be periodically closed for resource management activities. Please call before visiting.
Research is conducted on various Preserves, research permit applications are available online.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
Main public access portion of the Preserve: From the north end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, follow US 13 north. Take a right onto Route 600 (Seaside Rd), after 0.3 mile stay left at the intersection with the ESNWR and continue for another 0.9 mile. Turn right onto Bull Lane, a gravel road, and follow 0.5 mile to the parking lot at the terminus.
From Cape Charles or Kiptopeke State Park, follow US 13 south. Take a left onto Route 718 (Latimer Siding Rd) – you’ll pass the Preserve’s pollinator area on the left. Follow for 0.2 mile, turn right onto Route 600 (Seaside Rd), after 0.3 mile turn left onto Bull Lane, a gravel road, and follow 0.5 mile to the parking lot at the terminus.
Pollinator Area: Located on the north side of Route 718 (Latimer Siding Rd), about a five minute drive from the parking lot of the main public access portion of the Preserve. You’ll see a kiosk with signage and a bike rack for visitors from the bike trail.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The acquisition of this preserve was funded by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at the Department of Environmental Quality through Grant # NA03NOS4190104, NA04NOS4190060, NA05NOS4191180, NA06NOS4190241, CELCP, NA15NOS4190164 and NA16NOS4190171 of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended.
CONTACT: