Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge

Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge

Parks Directory of the United States / National Wildlife Refuges

Address: c/o Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex
1000 Business Center Dr, Suite 10
Savannah, GA 31405
Phone: 912-652-4415;
Fax: 912-652-4385;
Web: www.fws.gov/blackbeardisland/
Established: Originally established in 1924 as a wildlife preserve, in 1940 it became a wildlife refuge.
Location: Off the Atlantic coast of Georgia, 50 miles south of Savannah.
Facilities: Viewing sites, trails.
Activities: Canoeing, sea kayaking, fishing, shrimping, crabbing, hiking, deer hunting, bicycling, wildlife watching, environmental programs.
Special Features: Blackbeard Island was named for Edward Teach, popularly known as Blackbeard the Pirate. Legend tells of his murderous and plundering activities along the coast and his periodic retreats to the island for "banking" purposes. Rumors of Blackbeard's buried treasure still circulate, but no evidence of his fortune has ever been discovered.
Habitats: 5,618 acres of maritime forest, salt marsh, freshwater marsh, and beach.
Access: Open year round during daylight hours; accessible by boat only.
Wild life: Waterfowl, songbirds, raptors, alligators, loggerhead turtle, and deer.

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See other parks in Georgia.