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
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.
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.
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
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.
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)