John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum in Pennsylvania. (Photo: Lamar Gore/USFWS)National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. This page highlights some of the dozens of ways to do just that.
Activities
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Go Fishing Freshwater and saltwater, remote and in cities. -
Take a Picture Refuges are perfect places for wildlife photography. -
Go Hunting
Opportunities abound for sportsmen and women.
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Take a Walk Enjoy 2,100 miles of refreshing trails and boardwalks. -
Paddle Peacefully Propel yourself through serene waters in unspoiled nature. -
Enjoy a Festival
For a jaw-dropping spectacle, it’s hard to beat a bird festival.
Go Birding!
American white pelican at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah. (Photo: Roger Lewis)-
Ride a Bike For cycling that’s magical, pedal at a national wildlife refuge. -
Spy a Dragonfly These stunt pilots of the insect world thrive at wildlife refuges. -
Enjoy a Nature Program
To learn what’s up, check in with your local refuge.
Trip Ideas
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Refuges of Interstate 5 From Seattle to San Diego, refuges are fine places
to take mini-nature breaks. -
Florida Refuges Discover new trails, wildlife history and even inspiration. -
Pair a Refuge and a Park
Visiting a national park? Try a nearby national wildlife refuge, too.
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Lewis & Clark Trail A couple dozen refuges are located roughly along the explorers’ route west. -
California Refuges Avoid the beaten path at Golden State refuges from the Oregon state line to the Mexican border. -
Trail of Tears
Refuge terrain from Alabama to Oklahoma evokes hardships tribes people faced in the 1830s.
Enjoy the Seasons
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Spring/Fall Migration For experienced birders and newbies alike, refuges are where the birds are. -
Fall for Autumn Refuges are wonderful places to see leaves turn shades of gold and red. -
The Beach, Wildlife & You
Tune in and look around. The beach offers much more than first meets the eye.
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Winter Fun If you like cold, crisp air, winter is special at refuges in northern latitiudes. -
More Winter Fun Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, mushing or skijoring, anyone? -
Ice Fishing
“The coolest sport around” can get you moving outdoors and provide a healthy harvest.
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California. (Photo: Courtesy of the Shuck family)