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Click on Plan Your Visit to learn more about what you can do at each of our complex's refuges.
Passes and Permits
Entrance Pass
Hunting on the Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa and Sutter NWRs requires special licenses, validation and passes, and are separate from entrance passes. See the Hunt Area Permits, Regulations and Shoot Times webpage for more information.
Additional special use permits are required for commercial photography use, scientific research, and access to closed areas. More information can be found in the Special Use Permits section below.
| Refuge | Sacramento NWR | Colusa NWR | Sutter NWR Spring Trails | Sacramento River NWR | Llano Seco Unit (Steve Thompson North Central Valley WMA) |
| Is an entrance pass required? | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Valid Entrance Pass Options (only one is needed!) | A) Sacramento NWR 1-day Pass ($6)
B) Sacramento NWR Annual Pass ($12)
C) Sacramento NWR Commercial Vehicle Pass (required for busses and commercial vendors, $20)
D) Current Federal Duck Stamp ($25)
E) Current year or Lifetime America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (prices vary) | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Sacramento NWR 1-Day Pass, Sacramento NWR Annual Pass, and Sacramento NWR Commercial Vehicle Pass
Sacramento NWR collects a day-use fee to help pay for visitor facilities. 100% of these fees stay on the Complex and are used for educational programs, sign improvements, kiosks, platforms and other visitor facilities.
How to Purchase:
A) Online prior to arrival: Rec Access webpage . We strongly encourage everyone to purchase their pass online ahead of time if they know they're going to be stopping by.* Heads up: RecAccess requires setting up an account.
B) Use the QR Code at the Sacramento NWR Entrance Fee Station (requires a smartphone to connect with Rec Access webpage ). Heads Up: RecAccess requires setting up an account, which can take five or more minutes on a smart phone.
*Annual passes will be mailed to you, so the receipt from RecAccess is valid to visit the Sacramento NWR. No need to print the receipt if you keep a copy on your phone.
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Federal Duck Stamp
- Holders of a current Federal Duck Stamp ($25) are able to access all NWRs for free. The stamp is valid from July 1 through June 30 of each year.
- Junior Duck Stamps are $5 and support waterfowl education for students.
- Both the Federal and Junior Duck Stamps are available at the Visitor Center or on the Rec Access webpage.
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America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass
America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes are valid on all federal lands, including those managed by:
- National Park Service
- US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- Bureau of Reclamation
- US Forest Service
- US Army Corps of Engineers
America the Beautiful Annual Passes are available for anyone online through the USGS Recreational Passes webpage or at the Visitor Center when open (payable by check only):
| Pass Name | Price | Valid Duration, Other Information |
| Annual Pass | $80 | Valid for 1 year |
| LIFETIME Senior Pass | $80 | Always valid, does not expire |
| ANNUAL Senior Pass | $20 | Valid for 1 year |
| Access Pass | FREE | Valid for lifetime, available to U.S. residents with permanent disability |
| Military Pass | FREE with CAC Military ID | Valid for 1 year |
| Gold Star Family Pass | FREE | Visit the National Park Service Veteran and Gold Star Families webpage for link to print pass |
| Volunteer Pass | FREE | Valid for 1 year. Awarded to volunteer with over 250 logged hours through the volunteer's agency. |
| Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass | FREE to all U.S. 4th Graders | Visit the Every Kid Outdoors webpage for more information |
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Special Use Permits
Special Use Permits enable the public to engage in legitimate wildlife-related activities that would otherwise be prohibited by law. Service permit programs ensure that such activities are carried out in a manner that safeguards wildlife. Additionally, some permits promote conservation efforts by authorizing scientific research, generating data, or allowing wildlife management and rehabilitation activities to be considered.
Examples of activities that require a Special Use Permit, if deemed compatible with the USFWS Mission and the Refuge Purpose and approved by the refuge manager, could include:
- Commercial filming (audio, video, photographic products of monetary value)
- Commercial guided tours/trips for hunting, fishing, bird watching, photography or other outdoor activities
- Research and monitoring activities by students, universities, or other non-FWS organizations
- Large wildlife-oriented organized events (birding, wildlife watching, festivals).
Activities not allowed at the Sacramento NWR Complex: Private events such as weddings, memorials and parties.
Visit the National Wildlife Refuge System website for Special Use Permit Applications. Special use permit applications will be evaluated by the refuge manager to determine whether or not they are compatible with the purposes of the refuge.
For more information contact: sacramentovalleyrefuges@fws.gov or 530-934-2801
