*NOTICE: The Bloomington Education and Visitor Center will be closed on Wednesday, December 24th, Thursday, December 25th, Wednesday, December 31st and Thursday, January 1st, 2026.
Hunting Season: Hunting season is underway at the refuge. When recreating on areas of the refuge open to hunting, we encourage all trail users to be proactive about their safety. It is recommended all visitors wear blaze orange or pink during hunting seasons. Pets are to be leashed at all times. Learn more on our hunt page.
Special Hunts for Fall 2025:
Special hunts are reserved hunting sessions not open to the general public and may occur in refuge areas closed to general hunting.
Long Meadow Lake and Bloomington Ferry Unit
12/1-12/3 – Metro Bowhunter Resource Base – Archery Deer Hunt
Trail Updates: Please visit our trails page for the latest news on trail impacts and closures.
Current Bloomington Education and Visitor Center Services:
- Hours: Wednesdays through Sundays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Phone number: 952-854-5900
- Exhibits, bird feeder viewing area, Confluence Gallery
- Equipment lending: Binoculars and explorer backpacks
- America the Beautiful Passes
- Nature Store (accepts cash and credit)
- Indoor restrooms available during open hours
- Drinking water available indoors only
Current Rapids Lake Education and Visitor Center Services:
- Hours: Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Scheduled field trips and programs are not affected by facility hours
- Phone number: 952-361-4500
- Outdoor heated restroom open daily
- No outdoor drinking water available
Land and trails are open daily, 5:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Due to a lack of appropriations funding, vault toilets and facilities will be locked and closed for the foreseeable future.
Visit Us
With more than 45 miles of trails open to hiking, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, in the south metro you can easily find an adventure for all levels of experience. The Minnesota River Valley unfolds in front of you, and moments later you can find safe, quiet lands filled with wildlife. Visitors can easily find opportunities to try out fishing in ponds, lakes and the Minnesota River, and there are also portions of the refuge open for hunting.
See our Visit Us page to find out what the refuge has to offer, including:
- Trails
- Visitor Centers
- Hiking
- Fishing & Hunting
- Snowshoeing
- Environmental Education
Location and Contact Information
What We Do
The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge.
Our Species
The tallgrass prairie, floodplain forests and wetlands found within the refuge provide exceptional opportunities to find iconic and rare species of plants, birds, insects and freshwater mussels. Moments from the busy Twin Cities core you can find bald eagles, wood ducks, river otters, prairie skinks, and white-tailed deer. Endangered and threatened species such as the northern long-eared bat, rusty-patched bumblebee and rare freshwater mussels benefit from the protected habitats found throughout the refuge.