Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually
Olympia, WA 98516-2302
Plan Your Visit
The grounds are open every day sunrise to sunset. The office is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; and the visitor center is open Wednesday through Sunday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. We are located just off Interstate 5 in Olympia, Washington. Experience exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities from our year-round trails. Explore the diverse habitats of the Nisqually River Delta, and immerse yourself in the cacophony of birdsong. Exhibits in the visitor center provide an overview of the Nisqually River Delta. Volunteers are ready to assist, and the Friends of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex offer a Nature Shop. A highlight is walking the mile-long Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk that extends over the estuary, making each visit different with the fluctuating tide. But there are special rules here: no pets, no jogging, no recreational wheels like bikes or scooters, no drones... This place is for wildlife, and for you to enjoy viewing wildlife.
Navigation Tips
- If you have 15 minutes: Visit the Norm Dicks Visitor Center and the viewing platform outside.
- If you have one hour: Walk the Twin Barns Loop Trail (1 mile).
- If you have 3 or more hours: Walk the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk (4-mile round-trip).
Tidal Information
The tide can greatly affect what you see. Tides of 10 feet or less are good for herons and shorebirds on mudflats. Tides over 13 feet are best for diving birds. Check tides.net for conditions.
Fees can be paid at the entrance fee kiosk located near the entry to the Norm Dicks Visitor Center. Please use the blue envelopes to insert cash or check into the metal canister. America the Beautiful passes, Duck Stamps, and refuge passes are available for purchase at the administration office and visitor center.
The refuge offers several lifetime passes, including the Lifetime Senior Pass ($80.00 for those 62 or older), the Access Pass (a free lifetime pass for people with permanent disabilities), and the Lifetime Veterans Pass (a free pass for non-active duty veterans).
Activities
Get Involved
National wildlife refuges partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors, and residents of urban and rural communities to make a lasting difference. Join our staff to help make American lands healthier and communities stronger while gaining new skills and rewarding experiences. We have a wide range of opportunities, from habitat management to biological monitoring to visitor services; and you are likely to have skills that we can learn from. Get involved and join the team!
We have two AmeriCorps positions typically open annually. Both are Education Coordinator positions, one serving primarily at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and the other at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge. Work begins September 1 and runs until July 15. These positions offer high quality, supported experience delivering experiential programming to grad school and college students. Contact us for more information: 360-753-9467.
Volunteering
Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Master new skills. Meet new friends. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the benefit of all.
Check out our refuge's volunteer opportunities, listed below... but bear in mind that we are not always recruiting for each of these volunteer roles. As of spring 2025, openings include: Green Guardians habitat restoration team; assisting with the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival April 25-27; and helping at the Nisqually Watershed Festival September 27. For all other roles, volunteers are required to attend orientation and subsequent trainings. We aim to offer orientations at least once a year and when there is a need for additional help. We accept applications on a rolling basis, and will contact applicants when the next volunteer orientation is scheduled. Please contact nisqually@fws.gov to get an application or information.
What do volunteers do?
We have a variety of ways for volunteer to gain valuable and rewarding experience and help us fulfill our mission.
Interpretation
At Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, volunteers staff the Norm Dicks Visitor Center, provide information on recreational and educational opportunities, and operate the Nature Shop as members of the Friends of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex. They assist in planning and participate in special events like the Summer Lecture Series and annual festivals. Through nature walks and public programs, volunteers help visitors understand and appreciate both the natural and human history of the refuges. Volunteer Trail Rovers also walk refuge trails to connect with visitors, report issues, and identify maintenance needs.
Environmental Education
Volunteers assist environmental educational program staff to provide hands-on learning experiences, guide small groups on refuge trails, assist with teacher orientation workshops, and help with special projects.
Resource Management
Qualified volunteers assist refuge biologists with wildlife surveys, habitat restoration, and invasive species management.
Maintenance
Volunteers assist refuge employees and the Washington Conservation Corps crew with a diversity of maintenance needs, including: sign installation, fence repairs, painting, equipment repair, woodwork, and small construction projects. There may also be opportunities in more specialized areas for those with skills such as plumbing and carpentry.
Special Projects
Volunteers may work independently or under general supervision on individual projects, including oral history, photography, journalism, organizing photo and specimen collections, as a librarian, and other administrative work.
Why Become a Volunteer?
Volunteers have all kinds of reasons for signing up! But every volunteer who joins us helps us protect wildlife and make this place welcoming to visitors. Volunteering is an essential part of American culture. Join our team and you'll find friends who also care about this place. We organize training for volunteers to learn more about the wildlife and habitats we care for, as well as social events.
Who May Apply?
Our volunteer program is open to everyone. Those under 18 years of age need a signature on their volunteer agreement from a parent or guardian.
How Do You Become a Refuge Volunteer?
To become a refuge volunteer, start by filling out a volunteer application. We review applications and will contact you with information about training. You may volunteer for special projects or longer commitments, or for single special events like the Nisqually Watershed Festival or the Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival. To get an application form, please contact us by email or phone. We're excited to hear from you!
Electronically
Mail or Drop Off:
Volunteer Program Coordinator
Nisqually NWR Complex
100 Brown Farm Road
Olympia, WA 98516
Services
We have 4 miles of accessible boardwalk and packed gravel trails. Our visitor center is open Wednesday-Sunday year-round. The Nature Explore Area is a great place for kids to play. But don't bring your pets! No pets are allowed at the refuge, not even in your car. Do bring your camera and binoculars, because this is a great place to view wildlife at any time of year.
For education groups, contact us about scheduling a visit.
The visitor center offer exhibits and a Nature Shop. Proceeds from your purchases go right back to the refuge to help meet our mission.
You can pick up American the Beautiful passes, Duck Stamps, and refuge annual passes from the visitor center-- or on Mondays and Tuesdays, from the office. Most of the money from your purchases stays right here and helps maintain the trails, restrooms, and other facilities. Thank you for buying your passes with us!
About
Established in 1974, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge protects the Nisqually River Delta, a vital habitat for migratory birds, salmon, and resident wildlife. The refuge consists of a diverse mosaic of habitats including salt marshes, freshwater wetlands, and forests, serving as an internationally significant staging area on the Pacific Flyway. In 2009, the refuge completed one of the largest estuary restoration projects in the Pacific Northwest, returning 762 acres of diked farmland back to tidal influence. In 2015, the refuge was renamed to honor Nisqually Tribal leader Billy Frank Jr., a prominent advocate for Tribal rights and conservation.