Take a moment to breath and escape the urban setting at Sacramento's newest nature area just 10 minutes from downtown. Blue Heron Trails is open daily from dawn to dusk, year-round, and is a great way to spend some family time and get the little ones outdoors.  With just under a mile of accessible trails, the self-guided site offers free paved parking, restrooms, educational kiosks, and a pavilion all around restored seasonal wetlands and upland habitat.

Throughout the fall to spring, learn about the refuge and take in the abundance of migratory birds wading in seasonal wetlands on a free docent guided walk in normally restricted areas.  Be sure to bring your binoculars and camera, as you'll get a chance to see some refuge favorites such as Sandhill cranes, shorebirds, raptors, and many species of waterfowl up-close.

Wandering along historically dredged Lower Beach Lake, the Paddle Program offers relaxed guided summer wildlife viewing and interpretation paddles for canoers and kayakers.  This free program runs from June through September and offers a unique opportunity for water enthusiasts to enjoy a normally restricted part of the refuge within a 10 minute drive from downtown Sacramento. All paddle tours are docent guided in a normally restricted area; there is no general access for self-guided paddling on the refuge.

Is your school, youth, environmental or other group interested in learning more about the wildlife, plants, habitats and ecology of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?  Contact the refuge to check on program availability and reservation policies.  Refuges are wild places, and we want to teach you more about them!

Annual public waterfowl hunt on the South Stone Lake Unit of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. This is not a CA Department of Fish & Wildlife hunt. All draws for all blinds will be conducted through the refuge.