Sunray Beach Preserve

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New Jersey

Sunray Beach Preserve boasts a mile of beachfront and extraordinary coastal dunes.

Horseshoe crabs spawning along Sunray Beach in New Jersey © Damon Noe

About
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Sunray Beach © The Nature Conservancy

Open to the Public

Yes

Get Directions

Location: Middle Township, Cape May County

Acres protected: over 100 acres

Established: 1997

Managed by: The Nature Conservancy

Why Is This Land Special?
Picturesque Sunray Beach Preserve boasts a sweeping 1,600-foot beachfront and extraordinary coastal dunes on the Delaware Bay, backed by woodlands, salt marsh and freshwater wetlands. The various habitats in the preserve are used as resting and feeding areas by migratory shorebirds each spring.

Sunray Beach's coastal dune community represents one of the best of its kind in the state.The virtually unchanged landscape at Sunray Beach, amid burgeoning development in the region, echoes the Cape May County of years past. Its extensive coastal dunes remain much the same since first viewed by European immigrants arriving to settle the area.

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Things To Do

Visit Sunray Beach in May and June to witness the annual horseshoe crab and shorebird phenomenon, when thousands of shorebirds descend on the beaches of the Bayshores to feed on horseshoe crab eggs.

Plan Your Visit

The preserve is open from dawn until dusk; however, no parking facilities currently exist.

Directions

Contact the Delaware Bayshores office at (609) 861-0600 for directions.

Discussion

Have you been to this preserve? Are you thinking of visiting? See what others are saying about their experiences and add your comments below.

Add Your Comments

Time for you to join the discussion. Tell us about your experience at this preserve. What plants and animals did you see? When did you go? You can help others plan their visit when you share your thoughts. And thank you for visiting one of our nature preserves!

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