Second Chance island is CLOSED from March 1st through August 31st. Briggs Boardwalk is CLOSED FOR RENOVATION until further notice.
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Rookery Bay
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    Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center | Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
    Environmental Learning Center
    Tuesday – Saturday: 9 am – 4 pm
    Sunday and Monday : Closed
    Address: 300 Tower Rd. Naples, FL 34113
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    Rookery Bay at Sunrise | Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
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    Boat Tours | Eco Tours | Rookery Bay Research Reserve
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    Explore the unique ecosystem of Rookery Bay with a variety of unique boat tour adventures to choose from!
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    Rookery Bay Kayak Tours | Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
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    February 19, 2026
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  • Who We Are
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    Friends of Rookery Bay
    The Friends of Rookery Bay’s ongoing mission has been to help connect people with southwest Florida’s dynamic coastal environment in support of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
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    Rookery Bay Research Reserve
    Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve stretches across 110,000 acres from Gordon Pass in Naples to the western Everglades of pristine mangrove forest, uplands and protected waters.
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News

Second Chance Closing | Rookery Bay Research Reserve
10 Mar
Rookery Bay News

Bird Beach Nesting Season Begins with Closure of Second Chance Critical Wildlife Area

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Shorebird nesting season officially began at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve last week week with the closure of Second ...

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20 Nov
Field Notes, Rookery Bay News

Banded Piping Plover “EHY” Returns to Rookery Bay

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
A Field Note from Rookery Bay Research Reserve Avian Biologist - Collette Lauzau - On November 13th, as my team and I were monitoring o...

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06 Nov
Rookery Bay News

Rookery Bay’s Keith Laakkonen Selected as New President of National Reserve Association

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is pleased to announce Director Keith Laakkonen’s selection as the new President of the...

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second chance island | closure extended | rookery bay research reserve
04 Sep
Rookery Bay News, Stewardship

Rookery Bay Extends Closure of Second Chance Sandbar for Nesting Shorebirds

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Rookery Bay Research Reserve is temporarily extending the closure of Second Chance Sandbar, a Critical Wildlife Area southeast of Cape ...

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Sea Turtle | Hatchling Season | Rookery Bay Research Reserve
16 Jul
Intern Blog, Rookery Bay News

Sea Turtle Hatchlings are Happening at Rookery Bay!

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
A Field Note from Rookery Bay Turtle Intern - Claire Charde - It’s officially hatchling season here at Rookery Bay Research Reserve! B...

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Breakfast with the Birds | Rookery Bay Research Reserve
25 Jun
Rookery Bay News

Breakfast with the Birds Online Series Zooms Through Summer

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Last week, Rookery Bay hosted the second virtual Breakfast with the Birds morning lecture in the 2020 Summer Series. More than 50 peopl...

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social distance safely | Ecotours | Rookery Bay Research Reserve
08 Jun
Rookery Bay News

Social Distance Safely During Rookery Bay Eco-Tours

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Friends of Rookery Bay invites people to get away from crowds, take a deep breath of fresh air, soak up some sunshine and enjoy the wid...

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Sea Turtle Nesting Season Begins | Rookery Bay Research Reserve
06 May
Rookery Bay News

Sea Turtle Monitoring Begins at Rookery Bay

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
On May 4th, sea turtle nesting season officially kicked off at Rookery Bay Research Reserve. Staff members and summer sea turtle intern...

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Virtual learning and family activities
14 Apr
Rookery Bay News

Experience Rookery Bay “Virtually” Every Day in April and May

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Rookery Bay Research Reserve's Education and Family Programming is going “virtual" every day in April and May. You and your family can ...

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06 Mar
Rookery Bay News

Second Chance Sandbar Closed for Summer Nesting Season

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Bird nesting season officially began at Rookery Bay Research Reserve this past week with the closing of Second-Chance Sandbar located j...

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Python | Lunch & Learn | Rookery Bay Research Reserve
24 Feb
Rookery Bay News

Lunch & Learn on Pythons Packs Environmental Learning Center

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Last Friday at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center a sold-out Lunch and Learn lecture on invasive pythons set off a selfie-ta...

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Science-Nite | Rookery Bay Research Reserve
06 Feb
Rookery Bay News

Rookery Bay Reaches Out to the After Work Crowd with Science Nite Series

  • June 2, 2025
  • By author-avatar Amy
Rookery Bay recently began “Science Nite”, a monthly educational series to reach out to people in the community in the early evenings. ...

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300 Tower Road Naples, Florida 34113
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IMPORTANT UPDATES

Briggs Boardwalk is closed until further notice due to renovations.

Restricted Icon Dark Blue | Rookery Bay Research Reserve

Camping and Reserve Restrictions

Camping Closures: April 1st – October 31st

  • Areas south of San Marco Road will be closed to camping from April 1st to October 31st due to the presence of nesting sea turtles and shorebirds. These areas will remain open for day use unless otherwise posted. This closure includes:
    • Dickmans Island
    • Kice Island
    • Blind Pass
    • Morgan Beach
    • Cape Romano
    • Gullivan Key
    • Whitehorse Key
    • Hog Key
    • Camp Lulu
  • Portions of the Reserve north of San Marco Road, including Keewaydin Island, will remain open to camping year-round unless otherwise posted.

Second Chance Critical Wildlife Area / “Shell Island”

  • Second Chance (also known as Shell Island) is CLOSED March 1 - August 31, 2026, to protect nesting shorebirds.
  • Camping on Second Chance is closed all year.

The Reserve’s 110,000 acres provide campers with access to one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America. Primitive camping is allowed in designated locations within the reserve.  Review the guidelines and safety tips to ensure your next camping trip is memorable.

  • Primitive camping is allowed in "Designated Areas" marked with [tent icon] on the map above.
  • Designated camping locations north of San Marco Road are open year-round. Designated camping locations south of San Marco Road are open November 1st – March 31st.
  • Permits or reservations are not required. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Visitors found camping in locations that are not designated for this use may be asked to leave by FWC or other law enforcement entity.
  • Camping rules may be different within the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Please visit their website to follow their guidelines - https://www.fws.gov/refuge/ten-thousand-islands/visit-us/activities/camping
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