Description
The 1,200-acre Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge offers well-maintained trails through deciduous forests that descend to the bay below. An informational kiosk adjacent to the parking lot offers trail maps, a bird list and a guide to facilitated programs. The site’s forest attracts many interesting spring and fall migrants. Accotink Bay also attracts a variety of shorebirds, waterfowl and offers a hunting ground for nesting ospreys.
The refuge is open daily from dawn to dusk. A government identification or a daily visitor’s pass is required to access the installation. A valid picture ID must be presented at the Visitors Center to get a daily visitor’s pass.
Please note: Security levels may change at any time and can affect installation access.
Wildlife Sightings
Birds Recently Seen at Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, Fort Belvoir:
- Canada Goose
- Mourning Dove
- Ring-billed Gull
- American Herring Gull
- Bald Eagle
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
222 species have been reported at this site to date.
Recent Checklists:
| Date | # of Species | Submitted By |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Feb 2026 | 20 | William Higgins |
| 2 Feb 2026 | 7 | William Higgins |
| 22 Jan 2026 | 34 | Christian McGuirk |
| 22 Jan 2026 | 22 | William Higgins |
| 19 Jan 2026 | 19 | William Higgins |
Amenities & Accessibility Considerations
Site Amenities
- On-site Parking
- Restrooms
- No Fee or Permit/Pass Requirement
Other Site Amenities: Hiking Trails, Interpretive Program/Events, Viewing Blinds
Maps & Directions
During the week, enter the installation through the Tulley Gate:
Follow US 1 South for 5.8 miles and turn left on Pohick Road, across from Backlick Road. There is a large Fort Belvoir sign at the intersection of US 1 and Pohick Road. Travel 0.4 miles and turn right into the first or second parking area. The second parking area is the Visitor’s Center and the main trail head. If you wish to go to Accotink Bay area or the Environmental Education Center you must get a visitor’s pass.
During weekends, enter the installation through the Pence Gate:
Follow US 1 South approximately 5.0 miles and turn left onto Belvoir Road. Proceed to 12th Street and make a right. Continue on 12th Street through the traffic light to Pohick Road. Proceed on Pohick Road to the refuge main entrance on the left. There is a large trail map at the entrance of the trail.
To visit the Accotink Bay Environmental Education Center (Note: the Center itself is only open for special appointments, but a trailhead is available):
From the refuge main entrance, after picking up a visitor’s pass, turn right out of the parking lot on Pohick Road. At the first traffic light, make a right onto Theote Road. Drive 0.6 miles and turn right on Warren Road. Proceed down the hill and make the first right onto Swift Road and then take the next right onto Little Road. The Environmental Education Center is ahead on the right, building #780. A trailhead is located at the end of Little Road. Accotink Bay will be on your left driving down Little Road to the trailhead.
Site Information
Managed By:
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Access Requirements:
Contact Information:
- Visit Website
Sites, or portions of sites, can be closed periodically for management activities. Please always check the site’s website for additional information prior to visiting.