After entering the refuge and passing the gatehouse pull into parking lot one immediately on your east. There is a visitor center here with the only flush toilets and drinkable water on the refuge. The center is only open during the busy summer season, however. There are rustic outhouses open year-round at some parking areas down the island.

The Hellcat Interpretive Trail Guide has tips for birding Lot 1.

Lot 1 is a parking area located at the entrance of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. It provides access to the visitor center, the Hellcat Interpretive Trail, and the Plum Island Sound. Lot 1 is open year-round from sunrise to sunset, except during federal holidays and refuge closures. Visitors can enjoy wildlife viewing, hiking, fishing, and photography at this site. Lot 1 has a capacity of 30 vehicles and does not allow buses or trailers.

Located along the northeast coast of Massachusetts, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 to provide a feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for migratory birds. Most commonly associated with Plum Island, a barrier beach island, the refuge is comprised of more than 4700 acres of diverse habitats including sandy beach and dune, cranberry bog, maritime forest and shrubland, and freshwater marsh. The most abundant habitat on the refuge is its 3,000+ acres of salt marsh, one of the most productive ecosystems in nature. Parker River provides a pristine coastal habitat for over 300 species of resident and migratory birds, as well as a large variety of mammals, insects, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. The refuge also provides critical habitat for the federally threatened piping plover.

In addition to its mission of wildlife conservation, the refuge provides a variety of excellent wildlife-dependent recreational activities, including surf fishing, wildlife observation and photography, a variety of interpretive programs, and seasonal waterfowl and deer hunting opportunities. A large visitor center, complete with a classroom and auditorium, msupports many of these public uses.

Parker River has achieved the following special designations: Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), Important Bird Area (IBA), and Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).