Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge

About

Entrance / day-use fee applies.

When is the best time to visit Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge?

By typical weather, the best months for a day outdoors here are April, May, and July.

The warmest month is September, with average highs near 80°F (27°C); the coolest is February, near 68°F (20°C).

November is the wettest month, with about 3.4 in (86 mm) of precipitation in a typical November.

Typical weather, 25-year Meteorological and Solar Monthly & Annual Climatologies (January 2001 - December 2025). Data from NASA Langley Research Center POWER Project (CC BY 4.0)

Official facts

Adjacent protected waters: Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Marine National Monument, Zoned w/No Take Areas, 1,508,850 km².

Adjacent protected waters: Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Particularly Sensitive Sea Area. Marine National Monument PSSA, No Take, 362,169 km².

Protected waters: 2,352 km². None of it is no-take.

Boating: Vessel use restricted; anchoring prohibited.

Fishing: Commercial and Recreational Fishing Prohibited.

Conservation focus: Natural Heritage. Protects the whole ecosystem. Site-Specific Management Plan.

IUCN category: IV (Habitat or species management area).

Protection level: Uniform Multiple Use.

Marine protection: National Wildlife Refuge. Listed as "Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge" in NOAA's Marine Protected Areas Inventory, managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, established 1988.

Public access: Restricted access.

Protected area: 581,184 acres (235,197 ha).

Designation: NWR. Listed as "Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge" in the Protected Areas Database of the United States. Protection: managed for biodiversity (GAP 2). IUCN category IV.

Established: 1988.

Managed by: MIDWAY ATOLL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

NOAA Marine Protected Areas Center (Office of National Marine Sanctuaries) with the US Department of the Interior, MPA Inventory 2023 · U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1

At the park

• Hunting activity
• Beaches scenic feature
• Fishing water

Before you go

Limits

Children ages 15 or under are admitted free

History

Operated by

United States Fish and Wildlife Service