2008 Federal Duck Stamp Contest Phone: 573-222-3589 |
Enjoyed by more than 85,000 visitors annually, this favorite activity is especially popular from February to March and November to December during spring and fall waterfowl migration. Early morning and dusk are good times to observe wildlife year-round.
A total of 279 resident and migratory bird species use Refuge habitats throughout the year. Tens of thousands of mallards, Canada geese, and other migrating waterfowl use wetlands as stopover or wintering habitat. Hooded mergansers and wood ducks are resident breeders. Monopoly Marsh draws wood ducks from a five-state area during the molting season. Bald eagles, least bitterns, and mourning doves are among the 108 bird species that regularly breed on the Refuge.
Thirty-eight mammal species are found within the Refuge. White-tailed deer, a species popular for hunting and viewing, are abundant at a population density of up to 35 per square mile. There is a wide-diversity of small mammals including three species of squirrels, two species of bats, and various mice, rats, and voles. The Refuge is one of the few places in Missouri where the swamp rabbit, a larger relative of the eastern cottontail rabbit, is known to occur. Unlike other rabbits, the swamp rabbit regularly takes to the water to move about and avoid predators.
Amphibians and reptiles are abundant on the Refuge with more than 30 species of frogs, toads, salamanders, and snakes including the venomous western cottonmouth, southern copperhead, and timber rattlesnake. Many of these species hibernate within the cracks and crevices of the bluffs along the perimeter of the Refuge.
At least 46 species, including channel catfish, white crappie, spotted bass, and green sunfish, are known to occur in the ponds and ditches of the Refuge. These species are adapted to the low oxygen conditions of the swamp.
A total of 8 overlooks and observation platforms are located on roadways and trails throughout the Refuge. Several of these, including Boardwalk Nature Trail, Monopoly Marsh, and Highway 51 Overlook, have wheel-chair-accessible ramps. Viewing scopes are available for use on the Boardwalk Nature Trail, Monopoly Marsh Overlook, Highway 51 Overlook, and the Rockhouse Observation Platform on Bluff Road . These scopes offer close-up views of wildlife without disturbing nature. Visitors to the Visitor Center can also enjoy a panoramic view of Rockhouse Marsh with a short hike to the historic rock shelter along the Bluff Nature Trail.
Mingo NWR offers premier photography opportunities. Photographers of all skill levels enjoy taking pictures of Mingo's unique habitat and native wildlife. In addition, the Mingo Swamp Friends host the “Annual Mingo Swamp Flora and Fauna Photography Contest”.
Walking Trails
Boardwalk Nature Trail (Intensity Level Low): The Boardwalk Nature Trail is the most popular trail on the Refuge. The trail is wheel-chair accessible and constructed of a raised boardwalk traversing bottomland hardwoods and Rockhouse Marsh. It is 0.8-mile long with a 0.2-mile spur leading to an overlook at Rockhouse Marsh. A spotting scope enhances wildlife viewing. The Boardwalk NatureTrail is a highlight of the Refuge for visitors.
Bluff Trail (Intensity Level Moderate/High): The Bluff Trail is a newly renovated 0.5-mile trail that allows visitors to walk along the south-side bluffs from the Visitor Center to the Boardwalk Nature Trail. Visitors traveling on this trail may see a variety of wildlife that reside in the unique bluff habitat. Portions of the trail are extremely steep and rocky especially under wet conditions. Caution is advised.
Hartz Pond Trail (Intensity Level Low/Moderate): The Hartz Pond Trail is a 0.2-mile loop around a small pond ecosystem near the Visitor Center . Due to its easy access and proximity to the Visitor Center , the trail remains popular with school groups for aquatic biology studies and other interpretive classes.
Sweets Cabin Trail (Intensity Level Moderate): The 1.5-mile Trail to Sweet's Cabin offers hiking and photography opportunities for the public during the Auto Tour Route months of April, May, October, and November. Winding along a riparian forested environment on the edge of the Ozark Uplands, this trail provides access to Sweets historic cabin and the serene environment near Stanley Creek. Recent improvements to the trail have also reopened some of the areas that had once been blocked by downed trees from tornado damage in past years.
Auto Tour Routes
Bluff Road is a paved two-way road that affords visitors premier wildlife viewing. This 6- mile tour takes visitors along the southern portion of the Refuge. Highlights along this route include the Boardwalk Nature Trail, Pierman Lane , Flatbanks, and the Spillway. Bluff Road is open year-round weather permitting, except during the annual two-day managed deer hunt.
Redmill Drive is a graveled one-way road that takes visitors through the public hunting portion of the Refuge. Wildlife observers are encouraged to drive the 7-mile route to view resident and migratory wildlife. Highlights include Redmill Pond, Rockhouse Marsh and overlook, moist soil units, and an active eagle nesting site. This tour route is open year-round.
Auto Tour Route is open to vehicular traffic during the months of April, May, October, and November. The Auto Tour Route is also open during the week of the Puxico Homecoming in early August. The Auto Tour Route provides access for mobility-impaired and other visitors of all ages and outdoor interest. With the assistance of a self-guided interpretive pamphlet available at the entrance kiosks, visitors enjoy a view of the Refuge that denotes key points of interest, management techniques, and wildlife habitat of many different varieties for the 19-mile drive. Areas of special interest include: the slopes of the Missouri Ozarks where spring wildflowers paint the bluffs and a spectacular array of autumn tree foliage dazzles observers; Monopoly Overlook which provides a panoramic view of the Mingo Wilderness Area; and Fry Bluff Overlook which provides a vantage point for spotting the nest site of one the Refuge's bald eagle pairs.
All recreational activities are secondary to the primary purpose in which the Refuge was established, and must be compatible. Uses identified in the Refuge Improvement Act (hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, interpretation, and environmental education) receive special recognition by the Service and are accommodated when compatible with the original purpose of the Refuge as a resting and wintering area for migratory waterfowl and other migratory birds.
