Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge was established on August 5, 1947. The refuge is made up of 44,000 acres of land with a great diversity of flora and fauna. The major habitats on the refuge include oak hickory upland forest, bottomland hardwood forest, cropland, grazing units, brushland, prairie, wetlands and lakes. The refuge also includes a 4,050 acre congressionally designated wilderness area.
A while-tailed deer with its antlers in velvet stands in a brown tall grass field
Pay your entrance fee and reserve a campsite on Recreation.gov

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge makes it easy for you to pay your entrance fee ,  buy your annual vessel pass or reserve a campsite before you visit, using recreation.gov. Learn more about fees at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.

Visit Us

National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. A visit to a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Learn more about national wildlife refuge is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors and discover a new place. Whether you enjoy hiking, canoeing, hunting, camping, picnicking, wildlife photography or birdwatching a visit to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a great way to explore nature.

Location and Contact Information

      Natural Resource Damages Assessment and Restoration Plan DRAFT Amendment

      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acting through the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, finalized a Natural Resources Damages Assessment and Restoration Plan in 1997 selecting 5 alternatives to benefit aquatic and wildlife species. Due to the passage of time, some of the restoration projects identified in the 1997 Plan are no longer feasible and the restoration priorities of the Crab Orchard NWR have changed. As a result, a Draft Amendment to the 1997 Plan describing the proposed changes to the restoration projects is needed. 

      Approval of DRAFT Amendment to the Natural Resource Damages Assessment and Restoration Plan.

      Please submit any comments by mail or email to:

      Mail Aleshia Kenney, Case Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1511 47th Avenue, Moline, IL 61265.

      Email: Aleshia_Kenney@fws.gov

       

      What We Do

      Services
      Silhouette of a person walking with a shotgun on the tundra
      Apply for a Special Use Permit on National Wildlife Refuges

      Some commercial, recreational and research activities are allowed on national wildlife refuges only with a special use permit issued by the local office, and are subject to specific conditions and fees. This permit requirement is meant to ensure that all activities at the federal site are...

      Service
      Communication
      Permits
      Business Owner/Commercial Business
      Educator/Education Facility
      Landowner - Commercial
      Landowner - Individual
      Oil/Gas Company
      Private Land Owners/Managers
      Researcher or Research Facility - Commercial Scientific
      Kayakers navigating a swamp full of trees and lily pads.
      Federal Recreation Passes

      Some 30 national wildlife refuges  charge visitors a nominal entrance fee (generally $3-$5 daily)  to cover road and facility maintenance.  If you are a regular visitor or would like to visit other public lands, you could save by buying an America the Beautiful Federal...

      Service
      Entrance Passes
      Children in yellow shirts run down a path or trail at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
      Every Kid Outdoors Pass

      The Every Kid Outdoors program allows 4th-graders to see America’s natural wonders and historic sites for free.

      Annual 4th Grade Pass

      Cost: Free, non-transferable, valid for the duration of the 4th-grade schoolyear though the following summer (September-August...

      Service
      Land Management and Conservation Assistance
      Educator/Education Facility

      Our Species

      Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to spot a variety of wildlife. Visitors are likely to see bald eagles, including the six pairs that nest on the refuge. Watch for flocks of wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and a wide variety of songbirds including eastern bluebirds, indigo buntings, white-eyed vireos and summer tanagers.