Hog Island Wildlife Refuge

A visit to Hog Island Wildlife Management Area takes a little preparation, but it’s well worth the effort! The Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is open to the public from sunrise to sunset seasonally. Guests need to remember that this is a waterfowl habitat, not a park
Know Before You Go: Guests should be aware that their vehicle must pass through a stringent security checkpoint because of the proximity to the Surry Nuclear Power Station. Well-trained security personnel will ask you to vacate your vehicle as they search for alcohol, illegal substances, and weapons. It is also necessary for guests to purchase an access permit in advance of their visit. The access permit costs $23 and is good for a whole year for admission to all Virginia WMA’s.
Hog Island derives its name from the 17th-century practice by English settlers of allowing hogs to forage at the tip of a peninsula jutting into the lower James River. Today, this “island” is the largest of several tracts that make up the Hog Island Wildlife Management Area. Here waterfowl are attracted, often by the thousands, to forage and rest on the tidal marshes, diked impoundments, and planted fields. Visitors may also see eagles, osprey, an array of shorebirds, and even upland wildlife species on some parts of the area.