Coronavirus (COVID-19) Notice
Although most refuge lands and outdoor spaces have remained open for the public to enjoy, we ask that you Recreate Responsibly.

  • Check local conditions on this website and call ahead for current information.
  • Operations vary based on local public health conditions.
  • Consistent with CDC recommendations, people who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces.
  • Most importantly, stay home if you feel sick and continue to watch for symptoms of COVID-19 and follow CDC guidance on how to protect yourself and others.


Features

  • Wildflower Galleries

    Wildflower Galleries

    It may be arid, but the Monument comes alive in the spring with wildflowers. Here are some of our most colorful.

    Wildflower Galleries

  • Little Brown Myotis

    Hanford Bats

    Legend. Myths. Folklore. Bats figure prominently in our primal fears, the things that scare us in the chill dark of the night. Are we silly!

    Bats

  • Sage Thrasher

    Rare Species

    "The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?'" – Aldo Leopold, Round River

    Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species

  • Monarch Butterfly

    Insects

    The Monument is paradise for entomologists. Especially lepidopterans. You have to find out what that means.

    Insects

  • Elk Viewing

    Elk

    What do visitors want to see? The White Bluffs, of course. Coyotes, deer and birds have their fans. But everyone wants to see the massive elk found here.

    Elk

Of Interest

Baby, It’s Hot Outside

Hot Rabbit

It surprises a lot of people that the “Evergreen State” of Washington is largely arid—and it gets hot, often into triple digits for long stretches. We can beat the heat by heading to air conditioning. However, the animals of the Hanford Reach National Monument don't have that luxury. How do they cope?

Beating The Heat

Paleontology

Mammoth Cartoon

The Monument may be the only national wildlife refuge in the country that has an obligation to not only protect living wildlife, but also that long since dead.

Paleontology

Cultural Resources

Arrowhead

The history and cultural heritage of Hanford would fill several web sites. We've pulled together just a taste of what's to be discovered here.

Cultural Resources
I Found A Bird . . .

Bird Rescue

Fledgling

We constantly get calls from people wanting us to take a lost or injured bird. Unfortunately, we do not have the capability to rehabilitate wildlife. Even more unfortunate is that, in many instances, the bird doesn’t need rescuing. Here’s a handy decision tree to help you determine what to do with the bird you found.

Bird Rescue

About the Complex

Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Hanford Reach National Monument is managed as part of the Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Read more about the complex
About the NWRS

National Wildlife Refuge System

NWRS Logo

The National Wildlife Refuge System, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants.

Learn more about the NWRS
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