Wilderness Visitor Center at Fire Island National Seashore
Otis Pike Wilderness Home Page
PARKING
The Wilderness Visitor Center sits on the very eastern edge of Fire Island National Seashore, and while it is accessible by vehicle, it does not have its own long-term parking lot. There is only a free 15-minute lot that you can use to drop off gear or to run inside to get a park brochure or other information. For long-term parking, visitors must use the Smith Point County Park parking lot, an enormous lot a half-mile long and a tenth of a mile wide that is capable of holding over 3,000 vehicles. There is a fee to enter the park, but this includes the use of its beaches, bathhouse, concessions, and other amenities. Credit and debit cards are accepted.
OPERATING HOURS
The Wilderness Visitor Center operating hours depend on the season. For the current schedule, visit the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for Fire Island National Seashore.
AMENITIES
- Information desk where you can pick up a park brochure and ask questions
- Shell and marine life exhibit on the top floor
- Office for Sportsman Beach Driving and hunting permits
- Book and souvenir store
Gift shop on the lower level of the Wilderness Visitor Center, Fire Island National Seashore
EXHIBIT AREA
On the top floor of the Wilderness Visitor Center is a small exhibition of shells and other marine creatures, plus the skeletons of a few mammals, including a deer.
Exhibits on the upper level of the Wilderness Visitor Center, Fire Island National Seashore
There is also an observation platform on the upper level of the building where visitors can take in the views of the Atlantic Ocean beaches and the Otis Pike Wilderness.
View from the upper level of the Wilderness Visitor Center, Fire Island National Seashore
SCHEDULING YOUR TIME
The exhibition area is open only during the summer because the upper floor is not heated. There’s not much information to read, so plan to spend fifteen minutes at the most to see the exhibit. Any additional time spent at the Wilderness Visitor Center depends on the individual visitor and his or her reason for stopping by.
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Last updated on June 18, 2026
