Located in Southwest Arizona, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge was originally established in 1939 as a game range to conserve and develop wildlife and other natural resources.
Sunrise over multiple layered mountain ranges.
Obtain an Access Permit
You are required to obtain a Barry M. Goldwater Range Access permit to access the Cabeza Prieta NWR.

Visit Us

National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. With 803,418 acres of designated wilderness area wilderness area
Wilderness areas are places untamed by humans. The Wilderness Act of 1964 allows Congress to designate wilderness areas for protection to ensure that America's pristine wild lands will not disappear. Wilderness areas can be part of national wildlife refuges, national parks, national forests or public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Learn more about wilderness area , Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge offers wonderful opportunities to explore the wild Sonoran Desert. Nicknamed “The Green Desert”, the Sonoran Desert is the most biodiverse desert in the world and is home to at least 60 species of mammals, more than 350 bird species, 20 amphibians, some 100 reptiles, and about 30 species of native fish. In addition, more than 2,000 species of plants have been identified in the Sonoran Desert. As a part of the Sonoran Desert Biosphere Reserve, the refuge contains some of the purest Sonoran Desert ecosystems in the world.

Location and Contact Information