sheep grazing in tall grasses with bulrush and pond in background
Grazing Opportunities at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Willows, California, has opportunities for grazing in Tehama, Butte, Glenn and Colusa Counties. There are 14 grazing units available covering 6,214 total acres of grassland and/or riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.

Learn more about riparian habitat, each with between 240 and 4,628 acres available for cattle or between 29 and 1,586 acres available for sheep. Agreements will provide for grazing rights for a period of up to 5 years. Learn more about these opportunities.

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including wildlife viewing, photography, hiking, hunting and so much more. The Visitor Center for the Complex is located at Sacramento NWR, where you can find maps/brochures, exciting programs, guided tours, exhibits, and a bookstore.
Visitor Center Remodel

Beginning January 17, 2022 the Sacramento NWR Office and Visitor Center will be closed for a major remodeling effort. During the remodel, the Visitor Center, public restrooms and outdoor interpretive kiosks ​adjacent to the office will be closed to the public. Portable restrooms will be provided at the Visitor Center parking lot. The parking lot, hiking trails, and auto tour route (including the restroom at the viewing deck) will remain open throughout construction. During construction visitors will still be able to call the office (530-934-2801) with questions regarding visiting the Refuge. Construction is slated to be completed in the Fall of 2022. 

The Sacramento NWR Office and Visitor Center remodel project will include an expanded Visitor Center with new interpretive displays, a new environmental education classroom, and updated office facilities and meeting space for refuge staff and partners.

POOL 2 EXTENSION:  the Pool 2 Extension of the Auto Tour will be closed for 2022.  Pool 2 will be drained in order to repair extensive erosion along the road/levee.

Latest News

Picture of person looking through binoculars from the Colusa NWR Observation Deck.
Sacramento NWR Complex - Plan Your Visit
There are lots of things to do at the Sacramento NWR Complex. Birdwatching, photography, hiking and hunting are just a few of the things we have to offer. Find something that is just right for you....
Two hunters in camo clothing hide with a hunting dog in the tules beside a marsh. One hunter is using duck call while the other holds a shotgun.
Sacramento NWR Complex - Hunting - Waterfowl
The Sacramento Valley is historically known for its premier waterfowl hunting. Since 1950, portions of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex have been open to the public for hunting. Hunting is an important wildlife management tool that we recognize as a healthy, traditional outdoor...
8 male wild turkeys walking in grass
Sacramento River NWR - Hunting
The Sacramento River NWR has over 5,350 acres open to fishing, migratory game bird, upland game, and big game hunting.  
A cloudy, orange sky at dawn over a marsh, with mountains barely visible on the distant horizon
Recreation
Why I Took These Shots #7
This is one in a series of articles in which U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff members reflect on favorite photos they have taken at national wildlife refuges. It features former refuge manager STEVE EMMONS and several national wildlife refuges north of Sacramento, California.
A river coming from the left curves to meet the ocean with a sandy beach in the foreground
Recreation
The Wildlife Refuges of I-5
This story presents a dozen-and-a-half national wildlife refuges between Seattle and San Diego where weary Interstate 5 travelers or even cyclists taking a similar path could take a short nature break.
A large white bird soaring in blue sky with its long white-and-black wings spread the width of the photo
Wildlife Wonders
Refuge Animals From A to Z
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conserves land and water on national wildlife refuges for hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Here’s a sampling of them, from A to Z.
View All News

Visit Us

 

Sacramento 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. Sacramento NWR offers a wide variety of recreational activities for visitors. With a 6-mile driving tour, 2-mile walking trail, and programs like hunting and photography, there's something for everyone at the Sacramento NWR! 

Find out more about Sacramento NWR by exploring the menu to the left.

collage of 12 symbols representing visitor activities
Image Details

PLAN YOUR VISIT <-- Click here to find out what the Complex has to offer, like.....

      • visitor center
      • auto tours
      • trails
      • photography
      • bicycling
      • hunting
      • environmental education

QUICKLINKS to the other refuges of the Sacramento NWR Complex:

      • Sacramento NWR
      • Delevan NWR
      • Colusa NWR
      • Sutter NWR
      • Sacramento River NWR
      • Steve Thompson North Central Valley WMA (Llano Seco Unit)
      • Butte Sink WMA
      • Willow Creek-Lurline WMA

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

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      The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge is located about 70 miles north of the metropolitan area of Sacramento and 7 miles south of the town of Willows in Glenn and Colusa Counties. The refuge consists of 10,819 acres 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!

      Notice of Cooperative Agricultural Opportunity:  

      Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex is headquartered in Willows, California, with properties available for cooperative agricultural opportunities for grazing in Tehama, Butte, Glenn and Colusa Counties.  Cooperators will have up to 6,214 total acres of grassland and/or riparian habitat, with between 240 - 4,628 acres available for cattle and between 29 - 1,586 acres available for sheep, depending which of the 14 grazing units for which they apply, for a period of up to 5 years.  To be considered, applicants must complete and submit application materials (including Special Conditions of Use, Cooperative Agricultural Opportunity Application, and Commercial Activities Special Use Permit Application) which can be found, along with further details on the refuge website...click on this link: Notice of Cooperative Agricultural Opportunity. 

      What We Do

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      • 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.

      A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 560 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
      Program
      Washington, DC

      Our Species

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      Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge is best known for migratory waterfowl. Waterfowl are present September through April and numbers regularly peak at over 500,000 ducks and 250,000 geese. Sacramento NWR is an important wintering grounds for Tule Greater White-fronted Geese.  The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex provides nearly 70,000 acres of wetland, grassland, and riparian riparian
      Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.

      Learn more about riparian       habitats for a wide array of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, waterbirds, songbirds, reptiles, and mammals.  The Complex currently supports nearly 300 species of birds.