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Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

Photo: Keenan Adams, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / CC BY 2.0

Beaches

Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

Melbourne Beach, FL · Space Coast

About

Between Melbourne Beach and Wabasso Beach, the Archie Carr refuge's 20.5 miles of beach see 15,000 to 30,000 sea turtle nests a year. Loggerheads alone average 400 to 1,000 nests a mile. The Barrier Island Center on A1A, closed Mondays, has sea turtle exhibits and a 0.75-mile trail through maritime hammock and dune out to the sand. Nesting peaks from May through August, but the refuge closes after dark and runs no turtle walks of its own. Nonprofits in the area do.

Highlights

20.5 miles of nesting beachWorld's top loggerhead nesting areaNesting peaks May through AugustBarrier Island Center, closed Mondays0.75-mile trail to the beach

Getting there

8385 S Hwy A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951

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