Rules & Regulations

Closure Notice: While the refuges are open, the public facilities, including the Assabet River Visitor Center, Nature Store and outdoor restrooms, remain closed.

During this time when many places are closed and social distancing is encouraged, Assabet River, Oxbow and Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuges are open for visitors to spend time outdoors on the trails. Refuge Management will continue to assess conditions and adjust operations as necessary to ensure the safety of visitors while protecting natural resources.

The Refuges are open year round from sunrise to sunset. Wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities, including hiking, photography, interpretation, and environmental education, are permitted on designated trails shown on the refuge maps.

Currently no fees are charged for use of the refuges. The trails and parking areas are available free of charge.

Please follow these guidelines when visiting the Refuge:

• Practice safe social distancing on trails and allow 6 feet when passing others on trails; follow all CDC guidelines.
• ​​​​​​​The disturbance, destruction, or removal of wildlife, vegetation and facilities are prohibited.
• Stay on designated trails and out of “Closed” areas. This is to protect you and the habitat and prevent the spread of invasive species. You must get a special permit from the refuge staff to go off the trails.
• Pack in and pack out. There are no trashcans on the refuges and we ask you to please take your trash with you.
• No pets or horses are allowed. Please leave your pets at home to protect wildlife and their habitats. Certified service animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities are permitted on trails as long as they are under the direct control of their owner at all times and all feces is removed from the site.
• There are no picnic areas or campsites.
• Camping and campfires are not allowed.
• Please only bike along designated roads. This is for everyone’s safety and to protect refuge resources. Bicycles are allowed on the Assabet River refuge only and on a very limited number of trails. All cyclists entering the Refuge should check in at the kiosks at the entrances in order to obtain information about which trails are open to bikes, speed limits, and other restrictions.
• Park in designated parking areas. Motorized vehicles are restricted to the parking area and its access road only. If parking lots are full, please continue on.
• Motorized boats are not allowed. Canoes and kayaks are allowed on rivers and streams but not in ponds and pools such as Puffer Pond.
• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Drones are prohibited. Launching, landing, or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) within the refuge is prohibited.

Hunting and Fishing are allowed subject to refuge regulations, State and Federal laws and permit restrictions.

Hunting

Hunting is allowed only during regulated periods and requires a refuge hunt permit. The most intense hunt period is during the shotgun deer season late November and/or into December. Most other times, hunt pressure is generally light. There is no hunting on Sundays.

For more information please refer to the kiosks at the refuges and on their specific U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service webpages:

• Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Hunting
• Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge Hunting
• Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Hunting

Fishing

All anglers must comply with Massachusetts State fishing regulations. Catch and release only.

For more information please refer to the kiosks at the refuges and on their specific U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service webpages:

• Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Fishing​​​​​​​
  • Fishing is only allowed from the two fishing piers on Puffer Pond: the handicap-accessible fishing pier on the Sandbank Trail and at the Barron Fishing Access Site on the Puffer Pond trail.
  • Fishing from the banks of Puffer Pond is not permitted.
• Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge Fishing
  • Fishing is allowed on the Nashua River and along its banks within the refuge.
  • The northern boat launch is located at the Bill Ashe Visitor Facility in Devens MA.
  • The southern boat launch is located at our Still River Depot Road entrance in Harvard MA.
• Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Fishing​​​​​​​
  • Fishing is allowed via nonmotorized boats on the Concord and Sudbury Rivers and from the launch areas.
  • There is a boat launch off the Weir Hill Trail at the Sudbury Unit for Sudbury River access.
  • There is a boat launch off Route 225 in Carlisle for Concord River access.