Admission to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is $5. That provides access to Sandy Point State Reservation, one of the finest beaches in the state, and because parking there is sparse and touchy it's not overcrowded, which is transcending. Refuge Road is paved for 3 miles, then turns to dirt and gravel for a few more miles, with parking lots along the way, some of which may not be open because of the threatened
piping plover. When the reservation lot fills it temporarily closes, and you'll have to wait for people to leave. We bring bicycles in case we have to park at the closest lot and bike in.
There is hiking in the wildlife refuge, greenhead swarms in July, and buttery wasabi lobster rolls at the local shack.
Directly after entering the refuge on the left there is an all too popular beach with a large parking lot, and on the right a concrete kayak ramp puts you in tidal waters.