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JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, situated off Sanibel-Captiva Road on Sanibel Island, Florida, has been named after Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist and great environmentalist, Jay Norwood Darling. This wildlife refuge encompasses a total area of nearly 6,300 acres (25 sq. km.), featuring a 4-mile (6-km) scenic drive, miles of bike and walking trails, spectacular bird watching spots, and winding canoe trails. The refuge is home to over 50 reptile species, 32 different species of mammals, 238 bird species, and a wide variety of plants. The scenic trails that meander through the wildlife refuge are lush with wax and salt myrtles, cabbage and sabal palms, red mangrove, other native plants, and seagrape.

This wildlife refuge and sanctuary also owns and operates an education center, which offers a wide array of educational programs for people of all ages. The observation tower in the refuge offers naturalists a great opportunity to get the best view of the refuge’s flora and fauna. The Tarpon Bay Explorers also organize interpretative tram tours of the sanctuary. The JN ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Lee Island Coast (Sanibel) and is a tranquil retreat from the hubbub of city life.

• Location: One Wildlife Drive (off Sanibel-Captiva Road)
  
• Telephone: (239) 472-1100
• Hours: Nov - Apr: 9 AM - 5 PM daily; May - Apr: 9 AM - 4 PM daily

Top 5 National Parks

1. Great Smoky Mountains
2. Grand Canyon
3. Yosemite
4. Olympic
   
5. Yellowstone

All 58 national parks.