Updates are posted here as new information is received. If the 'last-updated' timestamp is a few days old, it is because conditions have not changed since that time. Last updated 5/13/32026 2:30pm*
Seeking Public Comment
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks public comment on draft Compatibility Determination for plant gathering at multiple refuges and one wildlife management area wildlife management area
For practical purposes, a wildlife management area is synonymous with a national wildlife refuge or a game preserve. There are nine wildlife management areas and one game preserve in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Learn more about wildlife management area (WMA) within the Sacramento NWR Complex. Public comments on each of the drafts will be accepted for 14 days, from May 13 to May 27, 2026. Read more and access the draft for each of the refuges or WMA at the relevant link below:
Colusa NWR, Delevan NWR, Sacramento NWR, Sacramento River NWR, Steve Thompson NCV WMA, Sutter NWR
Temporarily Closed
- Pool 2 Loop Extension (Sacramento NWR Auto Tour): temporarily closed to the public on Thursday May 14 from approximately 8am-12pm for a Wetlands Assessment, Restoration and Management Course.
- Packer Unit Boat Launch (Sacramento River NWR): due to a downed tree across the boat launch, visitors will not be able to launch boats into Packer Lake until staff are able to move or remove the downed tree.
All other refuges and refuge units are open. Check out seasonal recreation opportunities on our Auto Tours, Trails & Bicycling page or our Maps, Directions & Brochures page.
*Before calling the refuge for updates, please review this section of our website or our social media pages. Any new information will be posted here and to our Facebook and Instagram promptly. Areas are subject to closure without notice. Please use extreme caution when driving the refuges, as flooding can occur without warning and road shoulders are soft and will not support your vehicle.
Starting March 14, 2022, CalTrans began construction on the new Butte City Bridge at the Sul Norte and Codora Units, and the old structures will be demolished. The Sul Norte and Codora Units will continue to be open to the public through the current parking lot, although road and trail access may be temporarily re-routed to accommodate construction or demolition activity. The SAFETY ZONE adjacent the bridge has been expanded by 150 feet during the construction project - please follow all signs in the field.
Dairy Fire burn area is re-opened to public access - The Dairy Fire of 2021 affected the southern portion of the La Barranca Unit, the western portion of the Todd Island Unit, and the northern portion of the Mooney Unit. Please continue to use caution when visiting this area as tree health may continue to change over time.
Visit Us
Welcome to Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge!
Sacramento River NWR offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors across its 24 units that are open to the public: hunting, fishing, hiking, photography, and wildlife viewing.
There are LOTS of recreational opportunities across the Complex, including a Visitor Center, Auto Tours, trails, bicycling, photography, hunting and environmental education.
Sacramento River National Wildlife is one of the 5 National Wildlife Refuges and 3 Wildlife Management Areas that make up the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex:
- Sacramento NWR
- Delevan NWR
- Colusa NWR
- Sutter NWR
- Sacramento River NWR
- Llano Seco Unit (STNCV WMA)
- Butte Sink WMA
- Willow Creek-Lurline WMA
Use the table (below), the left menu (computer), or the top right hamburger menu (three lines on mobile device) to navigate to the information that's most helpful for you:
Check out our VISIT US! page = a one-stop place for all your visiting questions, including: | ||
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Location and Contact Information
About Us
The Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. It is located along a 80-mile stretch of the Sacramento River between Red Bluff and Princeton, in Tehama, Butte, Glenn and Colusa Counties. The refuge's 30 properties or Units total 10,353 acres, and consist primarily of restored and remnant riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian habitats, but also include grasslands and some orchards.
Click on the link below to learn more about us!
What We Do
- Resource Management
To help plants and wildlife, Refuge staff uses a variety of habitat management techniques to maintain, recover or enhance plant and wildlife values. Refuge staff carefully consider any management techniques and employ them in varying degrees according to the situation.
- Conservation and Partnerships
The Complex is involved in many conservation endeavors, including Comprehensive Conservation Plans, Private Landowner Programs, and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act.
Click on the link below to learn more about what we do!
Our Organization
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997:The NWRS Improvement Act defines a unifying mission for all refuges, including a process for determining compatible uses on refuges, and requiring that each refuge be managed according to a CCP. The NWRS Improvement Act expressly states that wildlife conservation is the priority of System lands and that the Secretary shall ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of refuge lands are maintained. Each refuge must be managed to fulfill the specific purposes for which the refuge was established and the System mission. The first priority of each refuge is to conserve, manage, and if needed, restore fish and wildlife populations and habitats according to its purpose.
Our Species
Several threatened, endangered, and sensitive species can be found on the Sacramento River Refuge including Chinook salmon, Valley elderberry longhorn beetle, yellow-billed cuckoos, Swainson's hawks, and bank swallows.
Click on the link below to learn more about our Seasons of Wildlife, Wildlife Checklist, Wildlife Surveys, and Our Species....