Hours & Open Days

The Wetlands Sanctuary (1361 Wrighton Rd.) is open to

• Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Closed Sundays December through February

On other weekdays, the staff are involved with educational programs, school visits, scheduled group tours, research and fieldwork, volunteer training, workshops, maintenance, and meetings.

Organized groups are required to make a reservation prior to a visit. Individuals and families do not need to call ahead.  Visitors need to check in at the Wetlands Center when they arrive.

Plummer House, in the Glendening Nature Preserve, serves as staff offices and is open for special events.  It is located at 5702 Plummer Lane, at Route 4.

Limited Access

• Jug Bay is a sanctuary rather than a park. The lands here were purchased to protect the sensitive wetlands, other natural habitats, and the abundant wildlife found here. Habitat protection is our most important mission.

• Public access is a management tool that can be used to help protect wildlife.  Too many visitors can inadvertently harm wildlife and habitats. 

• The Sanctuary has a small staff of part-time and full-time employees to manage over 1,700 acres. Staff are not always available daily to greet and orient visitors.  On days when we're not open to the public, the staff plans educational programs, supervises students, analyzes research results, coordinates volunteer programs, repairs hiking trails/boardwalks, conducts workshops, and attends meetings or conferences elsewhere.  At times when we are not open to the public, there may be no staff on site. 

• Our "limited-access" policy is patterned after the habitat protection policies of the Nature Conservancy and federal Wilderness Area programs.  Land conservation organizations that preserve and protect sensitive and vulnerable natural lands also limit public access.  For example, backcountry permits are required to enter remote areas of National Parks and Wilderness Areas.