Facility Activities

Come out and enjoy Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge! Open to the public, visitors can enjoy wildlife watching and photography, hunting, fishing, wildlife photography and special wildlife-related events.  

Hunting

Among the many game species roaming the rippling grasslands of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is the javelina, a small-hoofed mammal that travels in large herds throughout the refuge. Javelina resemble pigs, but are not in the pig family. There are legendary stories of charging javelina,...

Birding
From bald eagles to spoonbills, from condors to puffins, birds abound on national wildlife refuges. Refuges provide places for birds to nest, rest, feed and breed making them world-renown for their birding opportunities.
Camping
A relatively small number of Fish and Wildlife Service sites allow backpack camping or RV camping. For a list of federal lands that allow camping, check recreation.gov.
Hiking
The Refuge System offers hundreds of miles of refreshing trails and boardwalks. Whether you want a short, easy walk or a challenging hike, you’re likely to find what you want. Some trails are paved and universally accessible. Some trails include displays on visual arts, local history and culture or environmental education.
Horseback riding
Horseback riding is permitted on designated trails of a limited number of refuges. Riders must follow refuge rules and regulations for this activity. See individual refuge websites for details.
Off-road vehicles
The use of off-road vehicles is generally prohibited at national wildlife refuges because the vehicles compact soil, impair hydrologic function and disturb wildlife. But a few sites allow the use of off-road vehicles with the proper permits, or in concert with other activities like hunting.
Painting and drawing
Painting and sketching in nature is possible at nearly all sites open to the public. Sometimes, sites host public displays of artworks created on the refuge.
Photography
Whether you wield a smartphone or a zoom lens, you’ll find photo-worthy subjects at national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries. Wildlife photography is a priority public use on national wildlife refuges, so you’ll find wildlife drives and blinds and overlooks to help you get the images you’re after.
Ranger-led programs
Rangers lead wildlife walks, tours and educational programs at many sites. Events may focus on wildflowers or birds or on seasonal spectacles, such as elk bugling or sea turtle nesting. Some programs may be limited in size or require advance registration. See individual websites for details.
Wildlife watching
Many refuges champion wildlife viewing as a key recreational activity.