Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is located on the southern extreme of the Great Salt Lake Desert, and the natural springs have been essential in meeting human and wildlife needs over the past 11,000 years. The area is the ancestral homelands to the once nomadic Goshute (Gosiuta) tribe. These critical life-sustaining waters make Fish Springs a true oasis in the desert.
Fish Springs NWR Announcements

Public Bathrooms & Drinking Water: Until further notice, public bathrooms and drinking water are no longer available due to unforeseen circumstances. Refuge staff are working on addressing this issue and will update as facilities are made available. If you, or someone you know, was planning to drive out to the Refuge, please pass along the information! Refuge staff appreciate your attention to this matter.

Compatibility Determination Draft: DRAFT Compatibility Determination for Research, Sampling, and Surveying at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge in the Library section of the website for review. This is to replace the Compatibility Determination published previously in 2004. This will be open to public review and comment from June 17, 2026 through July 1, 2026. All public comments can be directed to Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge Manager, Stephanie Hebert at stephanie_hebert@fws.gov or fishsprings@fws.gov

Visit Us

Activities available at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge include wildlife observation, wildlife photography, waterfowl hunting, and interpretation.

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      The area Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge lies within played a part in many important historic activities including being a home and resupplying spot for the nomadic Goshute, and the resupplying post for the Pony Express, Central Overland Stage, and the Lincoln Highway. The Refuge provides managed wetland habitats for a diversity of species, with priority given to a variety of migratory birds, including wading birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl, as well as to species at risk of becoming listed as federally endangered.

      What We Do

      Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a National Wildlife Refuge is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used. Using conservation best practices, the Refuge System manages Service lands and waters to help ensure the survival of native wildlife species.

      Our Species

      The Refuge’s establishing purpose is for migratory bird management within the Pacific Flyway. Early management focused on providing habitat for nesting and resting waterfowl. Over time, habitat management broadened into meeting the needs of a wider diversity of species, with emphasis on wetland-dependent migratory birds and species at risk to being listed as endangered. Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is currently evaluating its priority species as part of a habitat management planning process.

      Our Library

      Compatibility Determination for Research, Sampling, and Surveying at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge - DRAFT

      DRAFT Compatibility Determination for Research, Sampling, and Surveying at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge. This is to replace the Compatibility Determination published previously in 2004. This will be open to public review and comment from June 17, 2026 through July 1, 2026. All public...