Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge will soon be open to the public for the first time.
But you won’t be able to walk there yet.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that the refuge, which borders Occoquan Bay and Neabsco Creek in Woodbridge, will soon be open to the public via non-motorized boats, said refuge manager Greg Weiler.
Boaters will also be able to access part of a trail in the park, Weiler said.
But those who want to hike on the refuge, or access it by land rather than by boat, will have to wait.
FWS officials are working to reach an agreement with the neighboring Rippon Virginia Railway Express station, to provide land to access trails on the refuge.
“The refuge will remained closed to non-water access until an agreement with CSX is reached to provide access their property at the VRE station,” Weiler said in an email.
For now, the FWS has planned a grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 8 at noon, to mark the refuge opening to boat access. The event will be held at the VRE station, 15511 Farm Creek Drive in Woodbridge.
The 325-acre refuge was acquired by the FWS in 1979, but has been closed to the public ever since.
Earlier this year, the FWS published a draft plan that proposed opening the refuge the public if “safe and legal access” could be secured.
The FWS recently approved that plan, Weiler said.
Area conservation groups and elected officials have spoken in favor of opening the refuge to the public.
Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-530-3908.
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