UPDATED March 24, 2023:
CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING:
- DELAYED: the March 15 opening of the Pool 2 Loop at Sacramento NWR's Auto Tour is delayed due to excessively muddy conditions
- Sutter NWR Spring Trails are CLOSED
OPEN* :
- Sacramento NWR Auto Tour/Trails
- Colusa NWR Auto Tour/Trail (AutoTour open again March 24)
- Llano Seco Unit Trail
- Sacramento River NWR
*Use extreme CAUTION as flooding can occur without warning and road shoulders are soft and will not support your vehicle. Areas are subject to closure without notice.
New information will be posted here and to our Facebook Page immediately as it is determined.
Visit Us
Colusa National Wildlife Refuge is just one of the 5 National Wildlife Refuges and 3 Wildlife Management Areas that make up the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Colusa NWR offers a wide variety of recreational activities for visitors: a 3-mile driving tour, 1-mile walking trail, hunting, photography and more!
Find out more about Colusa NWR by exploring the menu to the left (desktop) or hamburger menu top-right (handheld device), or see our Plan Your Visit page (link below) to find everything the Complex has to offer.
PLAN YOUR VISIT <-- Click here to find all the information you need to visit the Complex.....
• ACTIVITIES
• visitor center
• auto tours
• trails
• photography
• bicycling
• hunting
• environmental education
• HOURS
• FEES
• ACCESSIBILITY
• DIRECTIONS
• OTHER LOCAL INFORMATION
Location and Contact Information
About Us
Colusa National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. It is located about 70 miles north of the metropolitan area of Sacramento and one mile southwest of the town of Colusa in Colusa County. The refuge consists of 5,077 acres consisting primarily of wetlands, with some grasslands and
riparian
riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian
habitats.
Click on the link below to learn more about us!
What We Do
- Resource Management
To help plants and wildlife, Refuge staff uses a variety of habitat management techniques to maintain, recover or enhance plant and wildlife values. Refuge staff carefully consider any management techniques and employ them in varying degrees according to the situation.
- Conservation and Partnerships
The Complex is involved in many conservation endeavors, including Comprehensive Conservation Plans, Private Landowner Programs, and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act.
Click on the link below to learn more about what we do!
Our Organization
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997:The NWRS Improvement Act defines a unifying mission for all refuges, including a process for determining compatible uses on refuges, and requiring that each refuge be managed according to a CCP. The NWRS Improvement Act expressly states that wildlife conservation is the priority of System lands and that the Secretary shall ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of refuge lands are maintained. Each refuge must be managed to fulfill the specific purposes for which the refuge was established and the System mission. The first priority of each refuge is to conserve, manage, and if needed, restore fish and wildlife populations and habitats according to its purpose.
Our Species
Colusa NWR regularly supports peak wintering populations of over 150,000 ducks and 60,000 geese. Thousands of waterfowl are present from September through March. Peak populations occur in December and January. Many birds including nesting wood ducks and mammals can be seen year-round.
Species and Habitats <-- Click here to learn more about our species and habitats!
Wildlife Checklist <-- Click here to view our Wildlife Checklist