Monomoy Wilderness
As recently as 1958, this area was part of the mainland, an eroding shoreline at the elbow of Cape Cod. Severe winter storms isolated Monomoy Point from the mainland, and twenty years later, North Monomoy Island was separated from South Monomoy Island. Today, ten miles of surf-beaten dunes line the eastern shores of the islands, with shifting sands sometimes reaching heights of 100 feet. These dunes give way to salt marshes and mudflats on the western shore, creating an ideal habitat for migratory birds. Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge became a wildlife sanctuary in 1944 and spans 7,604 acres, with most of its northern island and all but two tracts of the southern island designated as wilderness.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Massachusetts |
| Size | 3,244 acres |
| Designated | 1970, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.60° N, 69.99° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 7) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 1.2 miChatham Light Station ↗Chatham, MA
- 1.8 miChatham Windmill ↗Chatham, MA
- 1.9 miHalf Way House ↗Chatham, MA
- 2 miBrick Block ↗Chatham, MA
- 2.1 miEldredge Public Library ↗Chatham, MA
- 2.2 miPort Royal House ↗Chatham, MA
- 2.4 miChatham Railroad Depot ↗Chatham, MA
- 3 miKelley, Mercelia Evelyn Eldridge, House ↗Chatham, MA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Massachusetts
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Monomoy Wilderness?
3,244 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Monomoy Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Monomoy Wilderness in?
Massachusetts.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Monomoy Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1970.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Monomoy Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.601° N, 69.988° W. Cape Cod National Seashore is 19 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Monomoy Wilderness?
Cape Cod National Seashore (19 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Monomoy Wilderness?
The National Register has 43 listings within 15 miles, including Chatham Light Station and Chatham Windmill.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.