Stone Lakes
Elk Grove, CA 95757-9774
Plan Your Visit
Welcome to Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge! Please enjoy the many recreational opportunities at the refuge throughout the year, from nature walks to waterfowl hunting. The Blue Heron Trails site offers an accessible paved trail consisting of a mile of loops around managed wetlands, educational kiosks, and a pavilion.
A few reminders:
- No dogs/pets.
- Stay on concrete pathways only.
- There is no Visitor Center on site.
- Parking lot is for visitors only; no overnight parking is allowed.
- Restrooms are non-flush (campground style), so bringing hand sanitizer is recommended.
No permits or passes are required to use the nature trails or parking lots. Waterfowl hunting is handled via a random drawing reservation system, which is non-fee.
Blue Heron Trails
Blue Heron Trails and the refuge office is located south of Sacramento, just outside of Elk Grove. From Sacramento, travel south on Interstate 5 and take the Hood Franklin Road exit. At the stop sign, turn right, heading west for about one mile. The entrance sign and turn lane will be on your left. Please note, Blue Heron Trails is open every day, but hours are seasonal. Please check the current hours before your visit. No dogs/pets.
Parking lot is for visitors only. No overnight parking or leaving vehicles in lot all day unattended. Vehicles left overnight or all day unattended may or will be towed at owner’s expense.
Activities
Featured Species
Get Involved
Volunteer Community Service Day opportunities for the public and students vary upon season and will be posted on the website. Another great way to volunteer at the refuge is through the Friends of Stone Lakes and the Sacramento Tree Foundation, who holds several habitat restoration days and events on the refuge throughout the year.
Services
The staff and partners at Stone Lakes Refuge work year-round maintaining and enhancing the refuge lands and programs including: wildlife monitoring, managed wetlands and waterways, habitat restoration, invasive species control, grazing, agriculture, and prescribed burns. The refuge also facilitates research through Special Use Permits.
About
With acquisition of the first property in 1994, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge was officially established as the 505th unit in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Located 10 miles from downtown Sacramento, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is an urban refuge sandwiched between the city of Elk Grove and agricultural lands. Conserving and enhancing Central Valley habitat and wildlife, the refuge hosts a variety of Central Valley habitats including grassland savannah, riparian forest, wetlands, and native freshwater lakes. Year-round and seasonal wildlife dependent recreational activities include a waterfowl hunting program, the wildlife observation and education site Blue Heron Trails, docent guided walks, and a wildlife viewing paddle program. In addition to these activities, the refuge also hosts school field trips and habitat restoration projects.