We will be conducting a controlled burn on 200 acres of warm season grasslands at the refuge this spring. Grasses will regenerate quickly following the prescribed burn prescribed burn
A prescribed burn is the controlled use of fire to restore wildlife habitat, reduce wildfire risk, or achieve other habitat management goals. We have been using prescribed burn techniques to improve species habitat since the 1930s.
Learn more about prescribed burn , ensuring that this area continues to provide valuable foraging and nesting habitat for State-listed grassland birds, foraging raptors, song birds and other grassland birds. The objectives of the prescribed burn are to maintain and enhance migratory and wintering habitat for grassland breeding birds and foraging raptors, by stimulating growth of native warm-season grasses and reducing undesirable plants. The timing of the burn will hinder invasive, non-native plants and woody vegetation while promoting the growth of existing native grasses that provide habitat for State-listed birds such as the upland sandpiper, grasshopper sparrow, vesper sparrow, horned lark, and short-eared owl. A controlled burn will also reduce the chance for future wildfires by removing standing dead vegetation that burns easily. The actual dates for the prescribed burns will depend on favorable weather conditions. Each prescribed burn is expected to be completed within one day with active burning over several hours. Smoke may be visible from a distance and trails may be temporarily closed while burning is underway.
Local emergency personnel, including the local police and fire departments will be notified prior to the prescribed burn. At least 10 firefighters and 4 fire apparatus are required to implement the prescribed burns. Visitors and residents are reminded that smoke may be visible after the burn is completed, but personnel will monitor and patrol the area until the prescribe burns are declared out. Assistance may be provided by firefighters from other U.S. Fish and Wildlife units, the National Park Service, and/or the New York Forest Fire Service. The Refuge has safely conducted prescribed burns for many years on the refuge.
Visit Us
National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. At Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, a total of 3.6 miles of trails are available and open to visitors (during the spring and summer months only). Two interconnected loop trails wind through the refuge’s open grasslands with impressive views of the Shawangunk Ridge. Two kiosks at the main entrance provide general information and orientation. Five wildlife observation / photography blinds are located along the trails.
Activities
The Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge offers the "big six" of wildlife dependent recreation: hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, interpretation, environmental education, and photography.
Trails
At Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, a total of 3.6 miles of trails are available and open to visitors. Two interconnected loop trails wind through the refuge’s open grasslands with impressive views of the Shawangunk Ridge. Two kiosks at the main entrance provide general information and orientation. Five wildlife observation / photography blinds are located along the trails.
Trail availability at Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge will be shortened from November 18th, 2025 through March 31st, 2026 to minimize disturbance to short-eared owls and other over-wintering wildlife. Visitors are able to safely view short-eared owls and other wildlife from two observation platforms located adjacent to the main parking lot. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to minimize disturbance to the wildlife while still allowing for prime wildlife observations. The trails will reopen to their normal lengths by April 1st, 2026.
From April 1st through approximately November 1st each year, the refuge trail map is as follows:
Related Documents
Other Facilities in the Complex
Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge is managed as part of the Lenape National Wildlife Refuge Complex. A National Wildlife Refuge Complex is an administrative grouping of two or more refuges, wildlife management areas or other refuge conservation areas that are primarily managed from a central office location. Refuges are grouped into a complex structure because they occur in a similar ecological region, such as a watershed or specific habitat type, and have a related purpose and management needs. Typically, a project leader or complex manager oversees the general management of all refuges within the complex and refuge managers are responsible for operations at specific refuges. Supporting staff, composed of administrative, law enforcement, refuge manager, biological, fire, visitor services, and maintenance professionals, are centrally located and support all refuges within the complex.
Other refuges in the Lenape Complex include: Cherry Valley NWR, Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, Wallkill River NWR and Great Swamp NWR.
Rules and Policies
- The refuge and its trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
- The public restroom is open but there are no potable water sources. Please plan accordingly.
- Service animals (those that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability; the task(s) performed by the service animal must be directly related to the person’s disability) are allowed in all areas of the refuge that are open to the public, including refuge parking lots, roads, and trails.
- Pets (non-service animals) are not allowed on the refuge.
- The trails are unimproved and of minimal difficulty, though they may be seasonally wet. Please stay on maintained trails.
- All plants and animals, parts thereof, and other objects of nature are protected from disturbance. Collection is prohibited.
- Observe wildlife from a safe and respectful distance. Binoculars and spotting scopes allow you to view wildlife closely without disturbing them.
- Please do not feed wildlife; it may make them unnaturally dependent on humans and more susceptible to disease.
Locations
- The refuge and its trails are open daily from dawn to dusk.
- The public restroom is open but there are no potable water sources. Please plan accordingly.
- This is a natural area. Pets are not allowed. Beware of poison ivy, ticks, and other biting insects.
- The trails are unimproved and of minimal difficulty, though they may be seasonally wet. Please stay on maintained trails.
- All plants and animals, parts thereof, and other objects of nature are protected from disturbance. Collection is prohibited.
- Observe wildlife from a safe and respectful distance. Binoculars and spotting scopes allow you to view wildlife closely without disturbing them.
- Please do not feed wildlife; it may make them unnaturally dependent on humans and more susceptible to disease.
From Interstate 84 (New York State), take exit #5. Take State Rt. 208 North until you enter Village of Walden. At the stop light, turn right, continuing north on State Rt. 208 to the Hamlet of Wallkill in Ulster County. At the stop sign, turn left on Wallkill Avenue. Travel for 0.2 mile and turn left on Bruyn Turnpike / County Rt. 18 (Post Office on corner). At the stop sign, continue straight on Bruyn Turnpike. Travel for 1.4 miles and turn right on Hoagerburgh Road. Travel for 1.5 miles, passing Blue Chip Farm, and turn right into Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge.