There are new units and hunting regulations available. Visit our rules and policies page for maps and unit regulations.
Visit Us
National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. The Howard Creek, Fern Ridge, Pine Creek, Finch Memorial and Cow Branch units are open to hunting in accordance with state regulations with some additional refuge specific season dates and regulations. If you enjoy wildlife observation or photography Howard Creek, Fern Ridge, Pine Creek units are also open to those uses. The Fern Ridge and Pine Creek units are the only units that are open to fishing.
Driving Directions
The visitor contact station is located on Luster Heights Road south of Harpers Ferry Iowa on the Great River Road.
Fees
There is no charge to visit.
Restrooms
There are no public restroom facilities on this refuge.
Points of Interest
The refuge encompasses 1,238 acres dispersed among multiple units of the Driftless Area in Iowa - a small portion of the entire Driftless Area. This elevated craggy landscape found in 24,000 square miles of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, escaped the slowly gliding ice of the Glacial Period or the Paleozoic-age, 500,000 years ago. The refuge supports a rare community of plants and animals that take residence in the slopes.
This area is also known as the karst region and boasts topography of steep slopes and cliffs carved by the boundary of the ancient glacial stampede. Here the glacial deposits found in most of the surrounding area are not present.
The monstrous sheets of ice that surrounded this island of land didn’t carry the rocks, clay, sand and silt found in the landscape beyond. Instead seeds and spores from prehistoric times were left frozen for thousands of years. The Algific (cold air) Talus (loose rock) slopes that make up Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge, were set aside in 1989 to help recover two federally listed species: the endangered Iowa Pleistocene snail and a colorful flower the threatened northern monkshood.
What To Do
The Howard Creek, Fern Ridge, Pine Creek, Finch Memorial and Cow Branch units are open to hunting in accordance with state regulations with some additional refuge specific season dates and regulations. If you enjoy wildlife observation or photography Howard Creek, Fern Ridge, Pine Creek units are also open to those uses. The Fern Ridge and Pine Creek units are the only units that are open to fishing. No visitation is allowed on the remaining units to protect fragile algific (cold air) talus (loose rock) slopes and the threatened, endangered and rare plant and animal species found there.
Know Before You Go
Wear sturdy boots or shoes because much of the terrain on the open units is steep and rugged. There are no public use trails or amenities, so consider bringing water, bug repellent, sunscreen and food. Dress for the weather and be prepared to encounter poison ivy in some areas.
Activities
The Howard Creek, Fern Ridge, Pine Creek, Finch Memorial and Cow Branch units are open to hunting in accordance with state regulations with some additional refuge specific season dates and regulations. If you enjoy wildlife observation or photography Howard Creek, Fern Ridge, Pine Creek units are also open to those uses. The Fern Ridge and Pine Creek units are the only units that are open to fishing.
Trails
Howard’s Creek
Open season: Year round, 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset. No pets, horses, bicycles or motorized vehicles.
Length: 0.8 miles
Location of trail: Howard’s Creek Unit of the refuge in Farmersburg, Iowa
Surface: Earth
Difficulty: Easy
Information: The Howard’s Creek trail is an out and back trail to the creek which begins on the east side of the storage shed. The trail goes through tall grass prairie restoration and low wet meadow areas.
Related Documents
Other Facilities in the Complex
The refuge is complexed with the McGregor District of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
Rules and Policies
The Howard Creek, Fern Ridge, Pine Creek, Finch Memorial and Cow Branch units are open to hunting in accordance with state regulations with some additional refuge specific season dates and regulations. If you enjoy wildlife observation or photography Howard Creek, Fern Ridge, Pine Creek units are also open to those uses. The Fern Ridge and Pine Creek units are the only units that are open to fishing.
Locations
Wildlife Observation and Photography are allowed on this unit.
Fishing is allowed on these units.
Hunting is allowed in accordance with Iowa Department of Natural Resources with the following additional regulations:
Hunting is closed March 16 through October 31 to protect threatened and endangered species and reduce impacts to algific slopes.
Certain areas are posted closed to entry, please see maps. Entry into or retrieval of game from areas posted as Closed Areas is prohibited.
Hunters must use non-toxic shot for small game, turkey and migratory bird hunting.
During the small game and migratory bird seasons, hunting dogs must be under the immediate control of the hunter.
The use of people, dogs, or other animals to intentionally drive, chase, or rally wildlife is prohibited.
Motorized Watercraft use is prohibited.
We prohibit all types of motorized vehicles on frozen water bodies.
All other public uses are prohibited including but not limited to: collecting, camping, horses, mushroom picking, alcohol, fires, trapping, bicycles, and removing vegetation.
Construction of permanent blinds or stands is prohibited. All stands must be removed at the end of each day’s hunt.
- Wildlife Observation and Photography are allowed on this unit.
- Hunting is allowed in accordance with Iowa Department of Natural Resources with the following additional regulations:
- Hunting is closed March 16 through October 31 to protect threatened and endangered species and reduce impacts to algific slopes.
- Certain areas are posted closed to entry, please see maps. Entry into or retrieval of game from areas posted as Closed Areas is prohibited.
- Hunters must use non-toxic shot for small game, turkey and migratory bird hunting.
- During the small game and migratory bird seasons, hunting dogs must be under the immediate control of the hunter.
- The use of people, dogs, or other animals to intentionally drive, chase, or rally wildlife is prohibited.
- Motorized Watercraft use is prohibited.
- We prohibit all types of motorized vehicles on frozen water bodies.
- Fishing is prohibited on this unit.
- All other public uses are prohibited including but not limited to: collecting, camping, horses, mushroom picking, alcohol, fires, trapping, bicycles, and removing vegetation.
- Construction of permanent blinds or stands is prohibited. All stands must be removed at the end of each day’s hunt.
Wildlife Observation and Photography are allowed on this unit.
Fishing is allowed on these units.
Hunting is allowed in accordance with Iowa Department of Natural Resources with the following additional regulations:
Hunting is closed March 16 through October 31 to protect threatened and endangered species and reduce impacts to algific slopes.
Certain areas are posted closed to entry, please see maps. Entry into or retrieval of game from areas posted as Closed Areas is prohibited.
Hunters must use non-toxic shot for small game, turkey and migratory bird hunting.
During the small game and migratory bird seasons, hunting dogs must be under the immediate control of the hunter.
The use of people, dogs, or other animals to intentionally drive, chase, or rally wildlife is prohibited.
Motorized Watercraft use is prohibited.
We prohibit all types of motorized vehicles on frozen water bodies.
All other public uses are prohibited including but not limited to: collecting, camping, horses, mushroom picking, alcohol, fires, trapping, bicycles, and removing vegetation.
Construction of permanent blinds or stands is prohibited. All stands must be removed at the end of each day’s hunt.
- Hunting is allowed in accordance with Iowa Department of Natural Resources with the following additional regulations:
- Hunting is closed March 16 through October 31 to protect threatened and endangered species and reduce impacts to algific slopes.
- Certain areas are posted closed to entry, please see maps. Entry into or retrieval of game from areas posted as Closed Areas is prohibited.
- Hunters must use non-toxic shot for small game, turkey and migratory bird hunting.
- During the small game and migratory bird seasons, hunting dogs must be under the immediate control of the hunter.
- The use of people, dogs, or other animals to intentionally drive, chase, or rally wildlife is prohibited.
- Motorized Watercraft use is prohibited.
- We prohibit all types of motorized vehicles on frozen water bodies.
- Fishing is prohibited on this unit.
- All other public uses are prohibited including but not limited to: wildlife observation, photography, collecting, camping, horses, mushroom picking, alcohol, fires, trapping, bicycles, and removing vegetation.
- Construction of permanent blinds or stands is prohibited. All stands must be removed at the end of each day’s hunt.
- Hunting is allowed in accordance with Iowa Department of Natural Resources with the following additional regulations:
- Hunting is closed March 16 through October 31 to protect threatened and endangered species and reduce impacts to algific slopes.
- Certain areas are posted closed to entry, please see maps. Entry into or retrieval of game from areas posted as Closed Areas is prohibited.
- Hunters must use non-toxic shot for small game, turkey and migratory bird hunting.
- During the small game and migratory bird seasons, hunting dogs must be under the immediate control of the hunter.
- The use of people, dogs, or other animals to intentionally drive, chase, or rally wildlife is prohibited.
- Motorized Watercraft use is prohibited.
- We prohibit all types of motorized vehicles on frozen water bodies.
- Fishing is prohibited on this unit.
- All other public uses are prohibited including but not limited to: wildlife observation, photography, collecting, camping, horses, mushroom picking, alcohol, fires, trapping, bicycles, and removing vegetation.
- Construction of permanent blinds or stands is prohibited. All stands must be removed at the end of each day’s hunt.