Is Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge open to the public?

No. Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge is closed to all public use: no one may land on or enter it.

National wildlife refuge

Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge

Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Virginia Beach city, Virginia run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is closed to all public use: no one may land on or enter it.

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

Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge map

Mackay 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 VA, 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

: No. Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge is closed to all public use: no one may land on or enter it.
: No. Hunting is not allowed on Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Hours, fees, and visitor center

What visitors do here: wildlife viewing, birding, photography, hiking.

Wildlife

BirdMigratory birds

Hunting

Hunting is not allowed on Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Hunting rules for Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge

Getting there

Nearest town: Moyock, 13.1 miles

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

Public lands next to Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge

State parkFalse Cape State Park is 1 mile away, straight line between the two boundaries.

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

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