Cape May Point State
Park
Cape May Point State
Park is located at the
tip of the Cape May
County peninsula. Just a
short walk from Cove
Beach and the
Cape May
Beaches along the
Promenade, no visit to
Cape May NJ is complete
without visiting Cape
May Point State Park.
Bacchus Inn is located
on a quiet street
adjacent to Beach Avenue
and the Promenade. Our
Cape May Accommodations
afford easy access to
Cape May Point State
Park whether you choose
to walk or drive.
 One of the most
beautiful displays of
nature, Cape May Point
features beautiful,
natural sand dunes,
ponds and opportunities
to view dolphins at
play, bird and butterfly
migrations.
The Park was once part
of a military base,
built during WWII, as
part of the Harbor
Defense Project. A large
Bunker once protected
the Delaware Bay;
situated 900 feet
inland, covered in sod
and resembling a hill on
the peninsula, the
Bunker’s gun turrets can
still be seen at low
tides. Experience the
beauty of Cape May Point
today and view war
relics of the past. The
WWII bunker and sunken
WWI warship Atlantus,
off the Sunset Beach
coast, can be seen from
the Cape May Lighthouse.
Cape May Point
Lighthouse
For a small fee, you can
climb 199 stairs to the
observation deck at the
top of the Cape May
Point Lighthouse and
experience a
breathtaking, panoramic
view of Cape May Point.
The Cape May Point
Lighthouse was built in
1857 by the Army Corps
of Engineers. Its
157-foot-high tower
continues to flash light
every 15 seconds,
maintaining its service
as a beacon to vessels
as far as 24 mile out at
sea. Also at the top of
the Cape May Point
Lighthouse is an
exhibition room
featuring informational
items and artifacts from
the history of the Cape
May Lighthouse.
Due to the hard work of
the
Mid-Atlantic Center
for the Arts, the Cape
May Point Lighthouse has
been beautifully
restored. If you visit
the Cape May Lighthouse
on Sunday mornings, you
may even have the
opportunity to meet Mr.
Palmer, the lighthouse
keeper in the 1920’s.
Trails
Cape May Point is
comprised of 153 acres
of natural wilderness.
Three blazed trails lead
through marshes, dune
forest habitats, swamps,
grassy dunes, beaches
and coastal dunes. Some
areas offer elevated
boardwalks to keep feet
dry and many of the
trails are wheelchair
accessible. All trails
conveniently end at the
Cape May Point State
Park parking lot.
Red Trail: The red,
handicap accessible
trail is half a mile
long. The red trail is a
boardwalk, has a bird
watching platform and
takes hikers to both
Cape May Lighthouse
ponds. The red trail has
tall marsh reeds, called
Phragmites, that rise on
each side of the trail
forming a charming green
tunnel just before the
ponds. Each pond has its
own bird watching
platform. Frogs,
turtles, otters, and
muskrats are commonly
seen along this route.
Yellow Trail: The yellow
trail begins from the
red trail and is 1.3
miles long. Partially a
boardwalk, the yellow
trail weaves through
wetland march, coastal
dune and beach and
features a birding
platform. View unique
South Jersey wetland
flora including black
gum trees, eastern red
cedar, bayberry and
holly trees.
Blue Trail: The blue
trail is a two-mile
trail and takes you onto
the beach. View shore
birds, wildlife and
unique flora and fauna
along the shore and
coastal dunes.
Bird Watching
 Cape May New Jersey is a
bird watchers Mecca.
Cape May Birding
attracts enthusiasts
from around the world to
Cape May NJ each fall
for the spectacular
migrations of hawks,
songbirds, shore birds,
Ruddy Turnstones, Red
Knots and other birds of
prey. On Saturday and
Sunday mornings in
September and October,
take the opportunity to
view hawk banding
demonstrations. Banded
hawks are brought to the
hawk watch platform,
noted as the best place
to view hawk migrations
in the eastern United
States, and a 30 minute
presentation ensues as
hawks are released back
into the wild to
continue their southward
migrations. An official
hawk watcher from the
Cape May Bird
Observatory is available
most days in the fall to
spot and identify the
migrating birds. In the
late summer and early
fall, Monarch
butterflies and
Dragonflies in the tens
of thousands migrate
through southern New
Jersey and make a pit
stop in Cape May Point
before the long journey
across the Delaware Bay.
Monarch banding
demonstrations are held
daily in the Cape May
Point State Park during
peak migration periods.
In the spring, bird
watchers compete in the
World Series of Birding.
Purple Martins make
their home in nesting
boxes adjacent to the
parking lot in the
summer when Terns also
inhabit the Cape May
Point State Park to feed
around the ponds in the
park and along the
shore. Cape May Birding
is phenomenal
year-round. Perhaps the
best spot for Cape May
Birding is in the nature
preserve by the Cape May
Lighthouse. The nature
and hiking trails in
Cape May Point are a
favorite of songbirds
and the Cape May Point
Beaches are home to
shorebirds throughout
the year.
Facilities
Cape May Point has an
interpretive information
center about the
wildlife and natural
beauty of the area. A
children’s favorite,
there is a small “Please
Touch” museum for
children, and all
headquarter bathrooms
are exceptionally clean.
Visitors can schedule a
guided nature tour and
beaches are open to the
public at no charge.
Parking lots are open
from sunrise to sunset.
Information on
Cape May
Fishing is available at
the headquarters.
Weakfish, bluefish,
flounder, tautog and
striped bass await surf
fishers just off the
shore of Cape May Point.
|
Cape May Point
State Park |
|
299 Light House
Ave
Cape May Point,
NJ
609-884-2159 |
|
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us
at 609-884-2129 or 866-844-2129,
email us, or use our
online request form. |
To help you make
your trip a
special one,
please let us
know your coming
by making a
reservation!
We have put
together a few
specials to help
you out with
your special
getaway!
Check
the calendar to
see if the room
you would like
is available,
and then let us
know!