Monomoy Island

Monomoy Island is a paradise for lovers of nature and secluded beaches. It was established as a National Wildlife Refuge, and is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (a sister agency to the National Park Service and a bureau of the Department of the Interior). The 2,750 acre Refuge is accessible only by boat. It is comprised of barrier beach islands, sand dunes, freshwater ponds and marshes, and saltwater marshes. Seasonally the area harbors dozens of species of migratory birds, including large numbers of nesting shorebirds during the summer (including terns and the federally listed piping plover). A large colony of harbor seals uses the shallows and beaches of the Refuge seasonally as a sanctuary.

Due to its unique location (at the corner of the Cape, between the cold Atlantic and warm Nantucket Sound), the swirling waters off Monomoy are some of the most prolific fishing grounds in the Northeast. Don’'t forget to bring your surf casting rod!

How to get there: Take a boat from Stage Harbor in Chatham out the channel, or jump on a local water taxi