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ATR Closed to Vehicles

The Auto Tour will remain closed to vehicle traffic for the season due to blowing snow. It may reopen as conditions allow. Visitors are welcome to park near (do not block) entrance gates and walk, ski, or snowshoe in the refuge. Snowmobiles are not allowed. Plows regularly use the Auto Tour Entrance as a turn around; keep this in mind when parking. Please use caution on any ice as it may still be thin in areas with moving water. Please call our office with any questions: (320) 273-2191.

19 December 2024

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge was originally purchased by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on May 21, 1975. The refuge currently includes 11,586 acres in Big Stone and Lac qui Parle Counties, in Minnesota.

Visit Us

The Auto Tour Route is open the first Monday in April to the first Monday in December unless otherwise noted in the alerts on our Home Page.  

Connect with your natural heritage as you experience wildlife, diverse habitats and magnificent granite outcrops at Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

Location and Contact Information

      A refuge volunteer helps repair a boardwalk
      Seeking Volunteers!

      We are seeking volunteers to help with seasonal activities on the Refuge. These include regular maintenance tasks, mowing, trail improvements, invasive species invasive species
      An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.

      Learn more about invasive species       treatment, and more. Come join us out on the prairie!

      What We Do

      Services
      Cows examine the camera while standing in a grassland
      Grazing Opportunities at Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge

      Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge will be allowing cattle grazing on two units of the Refuge beginning in 2024. Grazing unit descriptions, requirements, and maps can be found in the bid packet. Cooperators are responsible for following all terms and conditions identified in the requirements and...

      Service
      Agriculture
      Farmer/Rancher
      An old, red, closed-cab tractor pulls a green round-baler on a waterfowl production area.
      2024 Haying Opportunities

      Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Wetland Management District (WMD) are offering 14 haying opportunities. Haying is used to manage grassland habitat by providing more diverse vegetation structure for nesting birds and other species. Hay units range in size from approximately 9 to 124...

      Service
      Agriculture
      Farmer/Rancher

      Our Organization

      A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
      Program
      Washington,DC