About this Collection

Congressionally designated wilderness can be found on 63 national wildlife refuges in 26 states. About 90 percent of the Refuge System’s wilderness is in Alaska. In the lower 48, some refuge wilderness areas — such as those at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey and Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina — are located surprisingly near urban centers.

Here is the list by state of the 63 national wildlife refuges that have wilderness areas.

National Wildlife Refuges with Wilderness

Alaska

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Becharof National Wildlife Refuge

Innoko National Wildlife Refuge

Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge

Selawik National Wildlife Refuge

Togiak National Wildlife Refuge

Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge

Arizona

Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge (partially in California)

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge (partially in California)

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

Arkansas

Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge

California

Farallon National Wildlife Refuge

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge (partially in Arizona)

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge (partially in Arizona)

Florida

Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge

Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge

Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge

Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge

J.N. “Ding’’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Key West National Wildlife Refuge

Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge

National Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge

Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Georgia

Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge

Illinois

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge

Louisiana

Breton National Wildlife Refuge

Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge

Maine

Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge

Massachusetts

Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge

Michigan

Huron National Wildlife Refuge

Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Seney National Wildlife Refuge

Minnesota

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge

Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge

Missouri

Mingo National Wildlife Refuge

Montana

Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge

Nebraska

Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge

New Jersey

Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

New Mexico

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

North Carolina

Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge

North Dakota

Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge

Ohio

West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge

Oklahoma

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Oregon

Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge

South Carolina

Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge

Washington

Copalis National Wildlife Refuge

Flattery Rocks National Wildlife Refuge

Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge

San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Wisconsin

Gravel Island National Wildlife Refuge

Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge