San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge

Coastal Marsh Wilderness
Gaze across the rippling marshes and ponds of San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge and it’s easy to imagine Texas as it was before settlement. Clouds of snow geese in winter or a warbler “fallout” in spring further convince any visitor that they have stepped back into earliest Texas. Less than half of the refuge is open to the public, leaving a vast landscape as wildlife sanctuary. Yet, a drive on the 3-mile auto tour or a hike on one of the three hiking trails can take up a full day’s worth of wildlife watching.

Snow Goose Bed and Breakfast
Here, lesser snow geese both roost and feed. Snow geese flourish on the roots of Olney bulrush and other salt marsh plants. They rest in shallow waters with a clear view of their predators.

Warbler Fallout Zone
Refuge bottomland forests and willow trees along the tour road attract high numbers of warblers migrating north. If warm, moist air heading north from the Gulf collides with cold dry air heading south, conditions shape up for a warbler “fallout.” The resulting heavy rains and wind cause these tiny songbirds to drop from the sky to the shelter of trees. Hundreds of birds and dozens of species fall into single locations, too tired to fly even one more stroke.