National wildlife refuge

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Indian River County, Florida run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is open from sunrise to sunset, year-round. Camping is not allowed.

Check current closures and fire restrictions for Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge on the managing agency's own page.

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge map

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.

View larger map Open in Google Maps Directions

Fire restrictions

This unit's own agency alerts list no fire restriction as of Oct. 5, 2026. We do not check a statewide fire-order feed for FL, so that is not a statement that no order exists, and not a green light for a fire. Check with the land manager and your county before you light anything.

County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.

Common questions

: Yes. Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is open from sunrise to sunset, year-round.
: No. Camping is not allowed on Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Hours, fees, and visitor center

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is open from sunrise to sunset, year-round.

What visitors do here: hiking, hunting, fishing, boating.

Source: fws.gov, checked 2026-09-30.

Camping

Camping is not allowed on Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Source: fws.gov, checked 2026-09-30.

Getting there

Nearest town: Windsor, 1.9 miles

Source: www2.census.gov, checked 2026-09-30.

Public lands next to Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge

Wilderness areaPelican Island Wilderness lies inside Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.
National wildlife refugePelican Island National Wildlife Refuge borders Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.
State parkSebastian Inlet State Park is 1.1 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.

Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.

Photos

Photo of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge — USFWS, Public domain (US federal government work, 17 U.S.C. 105)

Data source: Recreation.gov

fws.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
recreation.gov (accessed 2026-09-29)
www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
fws.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)

The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.