Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Once a free-flowing river, Big Lake NWR was transformed to a lake and swamp ecosystem by earthquakes in 1811-12. Today, the refuge primarily consists of wooded swamps and open water. The lake is shallow, with a depth of three feet. It is an oasis of bottomland hardwood forests in an area that is...

Big Lake is a 2,600 acre lake that provides great fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish. Most people fish by boat, but there are numerous opportunities to fish from the bank or from the covered fishing pier at Bright’s Landing. We have 2 boat ramps, one at Timm’s Point and the other...

The best areas to view wildlife, other than from a boat, include Timm’s Point, Bright’s Landing, and Mud Island. Timm’s Point has a nice area that overlooks the lake with a monocular scope to help view wildlife that may be too far to see with the naked eye. Bright’s Landing has an excellent...

The best time to view and picture wildlife is when they are most active: at dusk and dawn. You will see many different types of wildlife on the Wildlife Auto Tour Road, or by taking a walk in the forest on the Oak Island Trail. Other photography opportunities include the viewing platform at Mud...

The refuge works with Arkansas Northeastern College to bring education classes to young people in the area to teach them about different wildlife, wildlife habitat, and conservation. The refuge also works with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to offer hunter education and boater education...