US Fish and Wildlife Service - Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge Review

Loved it, although the fox did NOT say a single thing....

They sell the "Senior Lifetime Pass" for the U.S. National Parks here.

We stopped here the end of July after a rainy period and found the roads to be in excellent condition. There are many different habitats within the refuge providing a great opportunity to see birds of different types. I found it particularly interesting that there was a children's learning area at the visitor center that I have not seen else where.

Many birds, bald eagles, great blue herons, several types of egrets, owls, many, many more. You can drive all around the many trails. Expects to be there 3hrs or more if you are a border or a photographer. You will want to go back again and again.

Great place if you like to bird watch. We saw ducks, geese, blue herons, great egrets, a bald eagle, a swan and a bunch of other neat birds. It's a very relaxing drive around the refuge and there are lots of trails and look outs.

We absolutely love this place. We go a few times a year and we always see something that leaves us feeling happy.

Some times of the year Bombay Hook is plagued by biting flies. Try calling 1st or going in the fall and winter. For some reason, the flies can be very bad at BH and no where to be found just up the road at Woodland Beach which is very natural and unspoiled. Without the flies BH is a treasure.

It was great lots of birds and I would recommend anyone who is looking for a wildlife refuge in Delaware

Always worth the long drive to see the great variety of birds!

Such a beautiful refuge to spend the day with your whole family! My husband and I have now taken our about to be three year old son there a couple of times now and he gets such a kick watching all of the wildlife. There are observation towers as well as hiking trails along the main auto route to explore and it is very easy to pull off to the side of the road to take pictures. I highly recommend visiting the website before you go as it is very imfomative and they even provide a breakdown as to the wildlife you can see every month of the year. Please NOTE that during the summer months it is EXTREMELY buggy so please plan accordingly! Hope this helps!

Beautiful wildlife refuge. Easy trails. Many opportunities to see and photograph birds and other animals

Great place for birding, wildlife and photography... I'll be back!!!!

If you love nature..especially birding.. this is wonderful....spectacular experiences there!

Fun place to go and explore, some trails to walk and lots of wildlife

First visit was in the rain, and we still saw all kinds of wildlife. Beautiful place, plan to return soon

Not meant for walking, has a gravel road that circles the reserve. Trails and lookouts are marked by signs which are accessible by foot off the road. Mostly bird watching but other indigenous wildlife is present.

Nice mid-Atlantic wildlife refuge. One may see great blue herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, anhingas, night herons, ducks, geese etc. A fall attraction is the thousands of migrating snow geese.

This place is full of ticks. We could hardly come out of the car. However serious watchers had come prepared.

There are many trails and places to stop and look at the wildlife, or you could just drive the whole thing and see plenty.

A wonderful place to visit. Lots of nature ...changes with the seasons. A must see!

This is such a fantastic resource. I have yet to be disappointed in any wildlife refuge that I have visited and Bombay Hook is no exception. Kept as natural as possible, the area provides habitat for an abundance of wildlife. The wildlife drive offers a way to see these magnificent animals in their true habitat. Also, there are three observation towers that present a unique way to see and photograph the wildlife. A word of advice: you will need strong binoculars, a spotting scope or an extreme zoom on your camera to make the most of this. Bring snacks and beverages because you are going to want to spend all day here. Arrive by sunrise and stay until sunset and you will have almost limitless opportunities to photograph animals. In addition to the birds, I was lucky enough to see a red fox, whitetail deer, fiddler crabs, turtles and rabbit.

We did not see eagles this trip but were plenty of herons and shore birds.

Love this place never know what wildlife you will see in the park

This place is absolutely gorgeous and so easy to get to. I just recently discovered it after searching for other natural areas to explore in Delaware and I'm going back as soon as I possibly can. What the park maps and sites don't tell you is there are tons of smaller towers all throughout the refuge, I'm assuming for bird watching, that offer "off-the-beaten-path" breathtaking views of their own, but the main towers are truly second to none. I spent about 4 hours at the park and that's a long time to spend on a several mile drive track with few and very short trails. It's a lot to take in and you'll be spending your time looking at the same sights and pieces of nature tens of minutes at a time. It's a beautiful place! Check it out if you ever have the time!

If your interested in birds go visit.
Can be dusty. Only facilities are at entrance.

If you like nature and or photography it's a dream come true.

Well maintained trails. Saw many Great Blue Herons and a Bald Eagle.

Great place to reconnect with nature. You can stay in the car and just drive through slow, and if you want you can get out and walk some short trails. Lots of birds and other animals to see.

Amazing place to view wildlife, enjoy nature and photograph birds. Best of all the ponds are surrounded by roads so it's easy to set up your photo equipment. Beautiful Bayside panoramas

Bombay Hook is a great place to bring the family. We see something new each time we go. The kids love the ranger led programs. The visitor center allows you to check out binoculars if you need them for the day as well. While you are here, check out the several trails in the refuge. Parsons Point Trail is a family favorite as it brings you by the remains of a WW2 tower on the way to Shearness Pool.

This place is amazing with the huge amount of wildlife your sure to see that bald eagle or that fiddler crabs

Great place. Saw eagles, owls, snow geese, bufflehead ducks, and many other birds. Not crowded and no bugs this time of year.

Quiet place, in beautiful wetlands. lots of avian wildlife, and some furry critters, too (fox and deer, mainly). If you want landscapes, there's a nice view inland across one of the ponds. If you want bird shots, better have a long lens. Still, it's a nice, peaceful place to go, generally speaking.
Support our National Parks.

Bald eagle on arrival, Northern pintails, Marsh hawk, Ring billed gull, maybe shoveler and others l either didn't know or did. Good weather not too crowded and a great nearby natural asset.

Best birdjngaandbature place in Delaware. Often equal to Ding Darling. Hi need. To exit car.bug spray advised .

Lovely place to see wild birds and the marsh lands, easy driving with some stop offs for short walks.

They have areas for hiking, but also a drive around the park. Very relaxing drive. We've stopped on the drive to view the wild Life.. very nice.

Great drive, if you're there at the right time there are so many birds to check out.

Awesome place to see birds and wildlife. Best thingis you can drive inside the park. In winter this is awesome.

I took my granddaughter back again she had a great time she loved running through the woods and climbing the observation tower and I've been going there for close to forty years

Good and quiet place ,,, good for birds photography

Words can't describe Bombay hook! Trust me, don't miss this experience. The flight of migratory birds is a site to behold!

Absolutely perfect for birding. From raptors to herons/egrets to small insectivores, this place is fantastic. The birds are also pretty comfortable being observed and having cars go by, so no need to use camo or a blind.
That said, the horseflies and deerflies are vicious, especially by the boardwalk trail - they don't even care about spray! Wear long pants and a field shirt if you want to avoid being eaten alive, plus a headnet and gloves if you need to be able to stay still.
Also, high numbers of ticks here even in the grass along the roadside. Tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants, try to stay out of brush especially in/near the forest, and check yourself/eachother before you get back in the car.

Absolutely love Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge if you're a birder photographer or just a naturalist it's a great place to see and View and photograph Lots different wildlife.. best part is its a drive around!!
You can get out of your car and set up a tripod or go to different viewing Towers!

Ticks, dirt and potholes but where else can you see Eagles and Avocets?

Just for bird watching.. Good for people having excellent camera lenses ... No place for any other activity.

This is a US Fish & Wildlife Service fee area that is famous for observing water fowl and shore birds. Substantial driving areas with easy pull-off areas, with a few trails and observation platforms. There is also an interpretive center with restrooms.

What can I say? Some excellent birding and views of a marsh.

Highly recommend the boardwalk.

The combination of woods, fields, freshwater, tides, marshes, etc. creates a natural wonderland for observing flora and fauna.

Awesome place to spend time! Wonderful place to bird watch and photo.

We had a great time birdwatching at BHNWR. We hoped to see a rocket launch from NASA Wallops further down the Eastern Shore.

I love this place for seeing a wide variety of birds and wildlife. It is also a great location for photographers.

Nice loop, saw many different kinds of birds and the purple martines where amazing.

This place was neat and I got to see some birds I've never seen. I would love the opportunity to go back when there aren't crazy flies who attack you as soon as you get out of the car. Update: went back now in the fall and it's amazing. Added new photos. Best time to visit so get out and enjoy the weather.

An annual favorite of mine. Well maintained, friendly staff, beautiful refuge.

A gorgeous place to visit. Beautiful vistas over the water. Take your time around the driving loop, feel free to stop frequently and take photos or walk the trails. The only downside is the mosquitoes. They are HUGE and they will swarm the cars without mercy so that you can't even roll down your windows. It's like something out of a horror movie. Try going in cooler weather and early in the day to avoid them.

Wow! The wildlife abounds at Bombay Hook all manner of native and migratory waterfol birds and raptors...fo mamals we were lucky enough to catch a couple of otter a mink and both types of deer...trathe preservrcks everywhere... the vast open expanses of marsh in various stages of succession are awe inspiring as is the variety of vegetation within the preserve....BE AWARE the redwinged blackbirds and marlins are busy picking off flies but its an uphill battle and in summer months a bare fleshed pedestrian on the trails is like a the best dish at a picnic for the swarms of biting flies.

Bring your camera, binoculars and paints if the flies are away.

Had a day of peaceful solitude with the wildlife and nature before going back into the claustrophobic streets of Philadelphia.

My kind of place to let the bombardment of society ebb and flow away. Wildlife & Nature.... it's all there.

There's always something to see there! Today we saw a bald eagle working on a nest, swans, herons and four different types of ducks.

Lots of birds here! It's a big refuge and I easily spent 5+ hours here. The observation towers on some of the walking trails offer really nice views, just be careful climbing the steep stairs.

My favorite trail was the Boardwalk Trail. Along it I saw and heard tons of Marsh Wrens, Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, and Seaside Sparrows, as well as Willow Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbirds, Green Herons, and many more.

There are a lot of ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting bugs so definitely bring some bug spray if you go during the warmer months.

The entry fee is only $4/car, just be sure to bring cash since I don't think they take cards.

Lots of wild life to see and trails to walk bring bug spray in summer

Buffleheads black ducks mallards tundra swans a pair of bald eagles and flocks of snow geese. Worth the trip

Very nice place to drive around and see the wildlife and scenery. One of the best birding areas to go, we always see something amazing, unusual or rare. The visitor center is nice inside. Best to go when the bugs aren't swarming or else your stuck in your car. We couldn't get to any of the towers without getting bit up, it's expected this time of year. Definitely will go back in the fall.

Having lived there most my life, I can say this is one of the few truly beautiful parks in Delaware. If you happen to be in the state for some reason this is one of the places you should definitely go. Just watch out in the summer, there are tons of bugs.