Facility Closures (updated 10/31/2024)
CLOSED: The gravel road (highlighted) between the I-65 bridges will be closed to all access until further notice due to ALDOT's I-65 bridge rehabilitation work. Eagle Nest Island Road and the White Springs Dike Road will remain open for foot traffic and bicycle traffic to cross under the I-65 bridges. Please watch for construction traffic on refuge roads.
OPEN: The Visitor Center, The Wildlife Observation Building, the Photography Blinds, Atkeson Cypress Boardwalk, and Visitor Center grounds are open 7 days/week 9:00-5:00, November-February. Please visit the "Location and Contact Information" section of our website for holiday closures and winter operating hours.
Refuge information, maps, hunt permits, and trail guides will be available at the information kiosk outside of the visitor center front gate as well as the Document Library on the bottom of this webpage. Visitors needing further assistance should call (256) 350-6639, and leave a message, if needed.
Hunt Permits, Refuge Regulations, Maps, Gate Schedules and Guides can be downloaded from https://www.fws.gov/refuge/wheeler/library
Visit Us
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge is rich in wildlife and recreation opportunities. Thousands of people come to the refuge each year to enjoy solitude, to commune with nature, and to share the joys of wildlife and being outdoors with family and friends. The refuge Visitor Center and Observation Building are located near each other and should be your priority stop when visiting the refuge for the first time.
Location and Contact Information
About Us
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1938 as a wintering area for ducks, geese and other migratory birds. Today, the refuge attracts thousands of wintering waterfowl and cranes each year. The refuge is also a winter home to the endangered whooping crane who first arrived in 2004.
What We Do
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 considers many management techniques and employs them in varying degrees according to the situation.
Our Species
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge was established as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. A diversity of habitat types provide excellent feeding, resting, and roosting sites for wintering waterfowl and Sandhill Cranes , as well as nesting sites for neotropical migrant birds and many species of resident wildlife.
Our Library
Our digital library is a collection of refuge documents and brochures for you to browse.
