The Savannah River is the lifeblood of the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge which provides rich habitats that support a diverse array of migratory and resident wildlife.
Temporary Closures

The Savannah NWR Visitor Center remains closed due to staffing shortages.  The Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive and associated trails, as well as the Little Back River Trail and Tupelo Trail, are closed due to an ongoing impoundment renovation project. This important habitat project is currently on-schedule to be completed in late spring 2023, and the wildlife drive should be reopened by the end of May. If you're planning a trip, please email savannahcoasta@fws.gov for updates on this closure. Visitor Center trails and the Kingfisher Pond and Solomon Tract areas remain open.

Latest News

A view of the ocean from land. In the distance is a water and rocky shore. In the foreground is a large rock formation and green vegetation
Recreation
The Wildlife Refuges of I-95
This story presents a state-by-state glance at national wildlife refuges where travelers seeking a nature break might stop along I-95. It includes expert tips about what a visitor might do and see during a one-hour stop at each refuge.
A woman aims her camera at birds through a photography blind at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.
Recreation
Photo Blinds on Wildlife Refuges
These national wildlife refuges are among those with photography blinds or wildlife observation blinds.
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Visit Us

Visitors canoing in one of the refuge's freshwater impoundments.
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National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. There are wildlife-dependent recreational activities offered year-round at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge including hiking, bicycling, wildlife viewing, photography, fishing and hunting.  Refuge lands are open 365 days a year from sunrise to sunset, unless otherwise posted. The Visitor Center is open Monday - Saturday from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, excluding all federal holidays (temporarily closed until spring/summer 2023).

Location and Contact Information

      Person standing in tall grass with rifle hunting for duck
      Savannah NWR Hunting Information

      Click the link below for quick access to the refuge's hunting webpage where you can read and download refuge hunting regulations and purchase a refuge hunt permit.

      https://www.fws.gov/refuge/savannah/visit-us/activities/hunting

      About Us

      Bald cypress in bottomland hardwood forest at Savannah NWR
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      Savannah National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1927 as a sanctuary for migratory birds, most notably wintering waterfowl. The refuge lies in both Georgia and South Carolina, divided by the Savannah River, and encompasses over 30,000 acres of vital wildlife habitat, including tidal freswater marsh and bottomland hardwood forest.  

      What We Do

      Ducks landing in an impoundment at Savannah NWR.
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      Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which 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 established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used. Using conservation best practices, the Refuge System manages Service lands and waters to help ensure the survival of native wildlife species.  

      Our Species

      Purple gallinule with chick at Savannah NWR
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      Purple gallinule with chick at Savannah NWR

      The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is an important link in the chain of wildlife refuges along the Atlantic Flyway, attracting thousands of migratory birds annually. The refuge also provides nesting habitat for wood ducks, purple gallinules, bald eagles, anhingas, and swallow-tailed kites, among others. A number of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and countless plant species can also be found.