We are excited to announce extended hours beginning June 20th at our Bloomington Education and Visitor Center at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge! We will be serving the community Wednesday - Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm. Stop in to checkout binoculars, peruse the Blufftop Nature Store, explore exhibits and more. Our trails are still open daily from 5 am - 10 pm, so there are ample opportunities to get outside and enjoy the refuge!
Flooding Impacts:
- flooding has impacted manyrefuge trails and access points.
- Updates on flooded areas will be posted on our trails page as it becomes available.
- Do not attempt to use flooded trails or access points.
- For updated road condition information, call 511 or visit 511MN.
(Updated 6/26/24)
![A large bird with a black head and a small white patch near its eye, brown body, white rump and dark grey tailfeathers flies low over a body of water. The water is bluish, with brownish-tan plants visible out of focus in the background](/sites/default/files/styles/summary_photo/public/images/2024-04/seedskadee-national-wildlife-refuge-canada-goose-flying-tom-koerner-fws.jpg?h=8b97d1af&itok=If1DqVLH)
![Latino Nature Fest spotlight](/sites/default/files/styles/summary_photo/public/images/2024-04/minnesota-valley-national-wildlife-refuge-latino-nature-fest-banner-lucia-portillo-maldonado_2.png?h=d8c61600&itok=LUJFfnbX)
![A man in the uniform of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service federal wildlife officer faces the camera](/sites/default/files/styles/summary_photo/public/2024-03/closeup-scott-pariseau-by-christopher-dunham-fws-img_0304-copy.jpg?h=fc126d55&itok=ToAYTqZc)
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.