Parramore Island Natural Area Preserve

Parramore Island Natural Area Preserve is a protected barrier island on Virginia's Atlantic coast featuring sandy beaches, dunes, shrublands, and salt marshes. The site stretches for several miles along the shoreline with distinct landscape zones that transition from ocean to inland areas.

This preserve was established as part of efforts to protect one of the few undeveloped barrier island systems remaining on the Atlantic coast. Management of the land has focused on maintaining natural conditions for over a century.

The island serves as an important research site where scientists study how coastal ecosystems function and how wildlife adapts to changing conditions.

Entry to the island requires advance permission from the managing organization before visiting. Certain sections are closed during the spring and early summer months to protect nesting birds and their habitats.

The ruins of a ship that sank in the late 1800s remain visible along the ocean beach section of the preserve. These weathered remains serve as a reminder of the area's maritime history and the dynamic coastal forces at work.