Midway Atoll

Midway Atoll is a small coral atoll in the North Pacific, about 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu, and is managed as part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The total land area is roughly 6.2 square kilometers and the atoll is noted for its large seabird populations and World War II sites.

The atoll supports extensive seabird colonies, with large numbers of Laysan and black-footed albatrosses nesting on its islands. Remnants and memorials from the 1942 Battle of Midway are present, and there are a few historic airfield and naval structures on Sand Island. Public facilities are minimal and visits are typically organized through permitted programs or scientific expeditions.

The islands were used as a U.S. naval and air base through much of the 20th century and later designated a wildlife refuge; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages much of the land. Over time military infrastructure has been reduced and conservation and marine protection have become the primary uses.

The atoll sits in the central North Pacific Ocean roughly midway between North America and Asia, made up of a cluster of small islets with Sand Island and Eastern Island the principal landmasses.

• Access: Access is tightly controlled and usually requires permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or travel via limited charter/expedition vessels.
• Wildlife: Important seabird colony hosting hundreds of thousands of nesting seabirds, notably Laysan and black-footed albatrosses.

What to See #

• Sand Island: The largest inhabited island and administrative center with the airstrip, former naval facilities, and most visitor infrastructure on the atoll.
• Eastern Island: Smaller island historically important for nesting seabirds and heavily modified during World War II; much of the largest seabird colonies nest here.