Cox Island Preserve

Please observe the following guidelines while visiting:

• Stay out of the old house on the property as it is no longer structurally sound.
• No dogs. Preserves harbor ground-nesting birds and other wildlife that are extremely sensitive to disturbance.
• Please observe social distancing guidelines, follow all posted site usage/visitation guidance and wear a mask whenever encountering other guests.
• No bicycles or motorized vehicles. Native plants and research sites are easily trampled.
• No hunting, camping or campfires.
• For groups of 10 or more, please contact us before visiting a preserve (a volunteer naturalist guide may be available).
• Please bring a bag and carry out any trash you find.
• Please report to us any problems you observe (e.g., camping, plant removal, hunting, off-road vehicle damage, etc).

What to See: Plants

The preserve supports several important habitats including eel grass (Zostera marina) beds in the lower estuary and Henderson’s checkermallow (Sidalcea hendersonii).

What to See: Animals

Abundant with softshell clams and shrimp, the nutrient-teeming mudflats provide feeding grounds for great blue herons from nearby rookeries. More than 80 species of birds and waterfowl, including great egrets, phalaropes, whimbrels and short-billed dowitchers are known to visit this largely undisturbed coastal marsh. Island residents include beaver, river otter, muskrat and mink. In addition, hawks and ospreys are commonly seen.

Due to extreme tidal fluctuations, special care is needed to ensure that boats are safely tied up and secured. Please visit the preserve during low tide only in the spring and summer. There are no official trails. Foot travel is difficult because small, but deep, tidal channels are often covered by vegetation.