Cibola National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1964 as mitigation for the straightening, channelization, and armoring of the banks of the Colorado River by the Bureau of Reclamation to prevent flooding. The purpose of the 18,444-acre refuge is to protect and recreate the marshes, backwaters, and meanders that historically provided wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife that natural flooding would have formed. 
A woman waterfowl hunting by a wetland at sunset
2023-2024 Hunt Brochures Now Available!

Updated brochures are available for the 2023-2024 hunt season.  Unit 2 hunt lottery applications are also available for download.  The 2023-2024 season hunt brochure contains the rules and regulations, timeframes, and other considerations for hunting within the refuge boundaries.  All hunters must carry a signed brochure to act as a hunting permit while on the refuge.  If you have any questions, please contact refuge staff.

Visit Us

The lower Colorado River flowing through Cibola NWR.
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National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Visitors have an opportunity to connect with nature in multiple ways. The lower Colorado River and its backwaters provide numerous outdoor recreational opportunities as well as a vital resource: water! 

Location and Contact Information

      Our Species

      Flock of pintail on a spit of land next to the marsh.
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      Migratory birds, wintering waterfowl, and endangered and threatened species can be found at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge contains several miles of historic river channels and backwaters that provide key habitats in a changed environment. Because of the river's life-sustaining water, wildlife thrives in this environment where temperatures reach 120 degrees in the summer and the average rainfall is two inches per year. 

      Our Library