National Wildlife Refuge System

A marsh with sparse green lily pads reflecting a colorful sky near dusk
A view of a distant rocky ridgeline between two mountain peaks.

Explore Refuges

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth. There’s at least one national wildlife refuge in every state and one within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas.

Find a Refuge

About Wildlife Refuges

On March 14, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established the first national wildlife refuge at Pelican Island, Florida, to protect brown pelicans from slaughter by market hunters. 

The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. Refuges connect people to nature, clean our air and water, and help protect coasts against storms.

A Beginner's Guide to the National Wildlife Refuge System
A happy person with hands raised standing on a rocky mountain peak with other mountains in the distance
How to Best Enjoy a National Wildlife Refuge
More than a dozen pink wading birds standing in shallow blue water
Wilderness Areas
Wilderness
Rivers
Paddlers navigate a stretch of river with firs along the banks and purple mountains rising behind them.
A woman and a child examine an interpretive kiosk

Visit a Refuge

Programs

Natural Resource Program CenterA person stands near the top of a tall ladder in a remote area surrounded by trees and greenery.Historic PreservationAn old stone A-framed building in a high desert landscape with an old mill next to itRefuge Law EnforcementA law enforcement officer standing in his truck in a desert setting looking through binocularsUrban Wildlife ConservationRiverbank pollinator garden with boat dock
Visitors on beach by ocean
67.03 M

 annual visits

42.17 M

birders and wildlife observers

2.15 M

nature program attendees

2.63 M

annual hunting visits

8.61 M

annual fishing visits

4,197 mi

of public trails and boardwalks, water and snow included