Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a site of historical interest, as it was formerly part of a weapons storage area at Pease Air Force Base, which operated from 1946 to 1991. The base was home to the 509th Bombardment Wing, the unit that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945. Visitors can explore the refuge's trails, observe wildlife, and learn about its history and ecology.

The Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1992 on a portion of the former Pease Air Force Base in Newington, NH. The 1,089-acre refuge was created to encourage the natural diversity of plants and wildlife, protect endangered and threatened species, and enhance the water quality of aquatic habitats. A variety of habitats is found on the refuge, including upland forest, grassland, salt marsh, freshwater, and seven miles of intertidal shoreline.

From NH-16 exit 1 in Newington, take Pease Boulevard for 0.5 mile. Turn right on Arboretum Drive and drive about 3.3 miles past the end of the Pease runway to the parking lot for the refuge.

The refuge also manages the 28-acre Karner Blue Easement, located 45 miles west in Concord. The easement is one of the few remaining parcels of pine barren habitat in the state and is home to the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly.

Both the Great Bay Refuge and the Karner Blue Butterfly easement are administered by Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, located in Newburyport, Massachusetts.