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SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX ALERTS

UPDATED April 29, 2024

ALERTS:

  • Phones
    Our phone system is still down as we work through some software security updates. Please contact us by email at sacramentovalleyrefuges@fws.gov
     
  • Intermittent Closure of River Units starting Monday April 29, 2024
    There will be intermittent closures of various units on the Sacramento River NWR starting 4/29 for follow-up fuel reduction work. Crews will be starting at the Packer Unit and moving north through the River Refuge. Expect a sign at the gate if a unit is closed. Thank you for your patience, understanding and flexibility while we get this important work done!
     

  • Request for Scoping Comments for the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge for Management of Aquatic Invasive Plants

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is preparing a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate the potential physical, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic effects associated with the management of aquatic invasive plants within and surrounding the Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Colusa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Delevan NWR, Sacramento NWR, Sacramento River NWR, Steve Thompson North Central Valley WMA, Sutter NWR, San Joaquin River NWR, San Luis NWR, Merced NWR, Grasslands WMA, and Stone Lakes NWR (hereto referred to as the “Covered Refuges”).

    View or download the full scoping letter here.

    The Service respectfully requests that you consider the proposed action and provide any comments and/or available information that you may have regarding resources within and adjacent to the Covered Refuges. At this time, we are seeking input to help identify the scope of issues and potential alternatives to be analyzed in the Draft EA, as well as regulatory concerns and any other relevant information. Please provide any comments in writing via email by 5:00 P.M. on May 25, 2024 to fw8plancomments@fws.gov. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, please be aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Visit Us

Welcome to the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge!   

Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge is just one of the 5 National Wildlife Refuges and 3 Wildlife Management Areas that make up the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Sacramento River NWR offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors: hunting, fishing, hiking, photography, and wildlife viewing.  With 24 units open to the public and the scenic Sacramento River running through many of these units, there's something for everyone! 

collage of 12 symbols representing visitor activities
Image Details

PLAN YOUR VISIT <-- Click here to find all the information you need to visit the Complex.....
 

      • ACTIVITIES
            • visitor center
            • auto tours
            • trails
            • photography
            • bicycling
            • hunting
            • environmental education
      • HOURS
      • FEES AND PERMITS
      • RULES AND POLICIES
      • ACCESSIBILITY
      • DIRECTIONS
      • OTHER LOCAL INFORMATION

Trails

Visit our Unit Maps and Recreation page to find details, maps and brochures about the units of the Sacramento River NWR.

Eight of Sacramento River NWR's units have trails:

  • Rio Vista - on South Avenue east of Corning; 6.5 miles of marked trails
  • Pine Creek - on Highway 32 west of Hamilton City; 3 miles of marked trails
  • Capay - on Road 23, off of Highway 45 south of Hamilton City; 3 miles of marked trails
  • Ord Bend - on Ord Ferry Road just west of Sacramento River; 1 mile of marked trails
  • Sul Norte - on Highway 162 west of Butte City; 2.5 miles of marked trails
  • Codora - access through the Sul Norte parking area; 4.5 miles of marked trails
  • Packer - on Highway 45 north of Princeton; 1.5 miles of marked trails
  • Drumheller - on Road 67 southeast of Butte City; 0.4 miles of marked trails

Important Notes:

  • Bicycles: from May 15 - August 15 bicycles are permitted on the trails except at Ord Bend.
  • Hunting: some units allow hunting between August 1 - May 31, so check the table on our Unit Maps and Recreation page if you are concerned about user-overlap.
  • Restrooms: restrooms are only available at Sul Norte unit and Llano Seco unit.
  • Wildlife Viewing: all areas have riparian riparian
    Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.

    Learn more about riparian     habitat that offer great viewing of songbirds between March and late May.

Be Prepared! These are natural and wild areas. You may encounter ticks, mosquitoes, wasps, yellow-jackets, bees, poison oak, stinging nettle, poison hemlock, rattle snakes (Sac River NWR) and mountain lions.

Other Facilities in the Complex

The Sacramento River NWR is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Complex is comprised of 5 National Wildlife Refuges (Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, Sutter and Sacramento River NWRs) and 3 Wildlife Management Areas (Willow Creek-Lurline, Butte Sink and Steve Thompson North Central Valley WMAs). Sacramento NWR, located near Willows, CA, serves as the headquarters for the Complex. Find out more about each Refuge or Wildlife Management Area below. 

Large flock of Ross's and snow geese in flight against a blue sky
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Sacramento NWR offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including wildlife viewing, photography, hiking, hunting and so much more. The Visitor Center for the Complex is located at Sacramento NWR, where you can find...
National Wildlife Refuge
Willows,CA
six pintails in a courtship flight
Delevan National Wildlife Refuge
Delevan National Wildlife Refuge is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Delevan NWR is mostly closed to the public, but does offer hunting and limited photography.
National Wildlife Refuge
Willows,CA
flock of dunlin and dowitchers in flight above wetland surface
Colusa National Wildlife Refuge
Colusa National Wildlife Refuge is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Colusa NWR offers many visitor activities: drive the auto tour, take photos, watch wildlife, go for a hike, or take part in a waterfowl hunt.
National Wildlife Refuge
Willows,CA
white-fronted geese standing in pond with reeds in background
Sutter National Wildlife Refuge
Sutter National Wildlife Refuge is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Sutter NWR is located about 50 miles north of the metropolitan area of Sacramento, and offers limited wildlife viewing, hunting, and seasonal trails.
National Wildlife Refuge
Sutter,CA
black tailed deer in grass with white geese flying in background
Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge
SACRAMENTO RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Sacramento River NWR is made up of 30 different units that lie between Red Bluff and Princeton. Twenty-four of the units are partially or entirely open to the public, providing a variety of hiking...
National Wildlife Refuge
Willows,CA
eight sandhill cranes stand in a shallow wetland with grasses in the background
Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area
Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Steve Thompson NCV WMA consists primarily of conservation easements on privately-owned wetlands, but also includes one 1,732-acre, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-owned property known as the Llano...
National Wildlife Refuge
Willows,CA
ducks and geese flying in air and in water. mountains in background
Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area
Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Butte Sink WMA does not have any lands open to the public. Most of the Butte Sink WMA consists of privately-owned properties under conservation easement. One property, known as the Butte Sink Unit, is owned by the U.S....
National Wildlife Refuge
Willows,CA
ducks and geese mostly in water with 9 flying. trees in background
Willow Creek-Lurline Wildlife Management Area
Willow Creek-Lurline Wildlife Management Area is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Willow Creek-Lurline WMA consists solely of privately-owned properties under conservation easement, and therefore has no public access.
National Wildlife Refuge
Willows,CA

Rules and Policies

Plan Your Visit  <-- Please see the Rules and Policies section on our Plan Your Visit page

Locations

Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge
(530) 934-2801
C/O Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex752 County Road 99WWillows,CA95988
Driving Directions

For directions to the Sacramento River NWR units that are accessible by vehicle, visit the Maps page.

Hours
Sacramento River NWR Trails hours
Year-round
2 hours before sunrise- 1.5 hours after sunset