From South: From I-95 North, take exit 10 (Airport); turn left at 1st light (Bartram Ave); turn left at 3rd light (84th St.); turn left at 2nd light (Lindbergh Blvd.) 1 block to refuge entrance on right.

From West: From I-76 take I-476 South to I-95 North and follow as listed above (from South, to I-95 North exit 10)

From East (New Jersey): Use either North or South directions.

The refuge has five varied habitats: freshwater tidal marsh, impounded water, woods, meadow and field. The diversity of such habitats in such a concentrated area make it a natural magnet for all forms of wildlife. In addition to the above mentioned there are a wide variety of fish species that can be found in both, Darby Creek, the lifeblood of Tinicum Marsh, as well as the 145 acre impoundment and the smaller, Hoy's Pond. They include brown bullhead, channel catfish, crappie, carp and small striped bass that utilize the wider expanses of Darby Creek, just before its confluence with the Delaware River, in the earlier stages of their development. The fields and meadows provide open areas where wide arrays of insects including several species of butterflies can be found foraging the dozens of species of wildflowers.

Visitors to the refuge can actually pass through, or by, most of the habitats on the over 10 miles of trails, including the popular "Impoundment Trail." Students and their teachers can explore the varied habitats and do pond studies from extensions on either of the two boardwalks that cross the impoundment and one of its smaller coves.

A diked, non-tidal area of 145 acres, adjacent to the eastern end of Tinicum marsh, was donated by the Gulf Oil Corporation to the City of Philadelphia in 1955. This area, administered for the benefit of wildlife and people, was known as Tinicum Wildlife Preserve.  The areas of open water along with the adjacent heavily vegetated tidal wetlands, formed an ideal habitat for thousands of migratory waterfowl.

In 1969, the remaining area was threatened by plans to route Interstate 95 through it and by a sanitary landfill on the tidal wetlands.  These activities started a long series of injunctions, public hearings and extraordinary efforts by private and public groups to secure rerouting of the highway and termination of the landfill operation. Under legislation passed by Congress in 1972, authorization was given to the Secretary of the Interior to acquire 1200 acres to establish the Tinicum National Environmental Center.

In November 1991, in a bill sponsored by Congressman Curt Weldon (R-PA), the name of the refuge was changed to John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum to honor the late Senator who helped preserve Tinicum Marsh.  

"AMERICA'S WILDEST PLACES" – Volume 1

Experience eight National Wildlife Refuges from Alaska to the Caribbean on this new two hour DVD.

See wildlife up close and personal – from grizzly bear and whooping cranes to red wolves and bald eagles. For more information, click on the photograph of the DVD cover.

In addition refuge staff, volunteers and partners are working to control the spread of invasive plant species such as purple loosestrife and phragmites. Other projects are addressing issues such as erosion control of both tidal creek impoundment areas, developing more universally accessable trails and creating more nesting sites for both waterfowl and neotropical migratory songbirds.