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orange and blue sky over water
Putting Safety first at Little Grassy Lake Dam

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is conducting a Dam Safety Modification Study of Little Grassy Lake Dam and Spillway to work toward addressing structural deficiencies and improve functionality for visitors. This 1,000-acre lake is one of three reservoirs with high hazard dams that need repair within the refuge. Learn more about the Little Grassy Lake project.

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge was established on August 5, 1947. The refuge is made up of 44,000 acres of land with a great diversity of flora and fauna. The major habitats on the refuge include oak hickory upland forest, bottomland hardwood forest, cropland, grazing units, brushland, prairie, wetlands and lakes. The refuge also includes a 4,050 acre congressionally designated wilderness area.
A while-tailed deer with its antlers in velvet stands in a brown tall grass field
Pay your entrance fee and reserve a campsite

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge makes it easy for you to pay your entrance fee ,  buy your annual vessel pass or reserve a campsite before you visit, using recreation.gov. Learn more about fees at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.

Visit Us

National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. A visit to a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Learn more about national wildlife refuge is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors and discover a new place. Whether you enjoy hiking, canoeing, hunting, camping, picnicking, wildlife photography or birdwatching a visit to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a great way to explore nature.

Location and Contact Information

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    What We Do

    Services
    Silhouette of a person walking with a shotgun on the tundra
    Apply for a Special Use Permit on National Wildlife Refuges

    Some commercial, recreational and research activities are allowed on national wildlife refuges only with a special use permit issued by the local office, and are subject to specific conditions and fees. This permit requirement is meant to ensure that all activities at the federal site are...

    Service
    Communication
    Permits
    Business Owner/Commercial Business
    Educator/Education Facility
    Landowner - Commercial
    Landowner - Individual
    Oil/Gas Company
    Private Land Owners/Managers
    Researcher or Research Facility - Commercial Scientific
    Kayakers navigating a swamp full of trees and lily pads.
    Federal Recreation Passes

    Some 30 national wildlife refuges  charge visitors a nominal entrance fee (generally $3-$5 daily) to cover road and facility maintenance. If you are a regular visitor or would like to visit other public lands, you could save by buying an America the Beautiful Federal Recreational...

    Service
    Entrance Passes
    Children in yellow shirts run down a path or trail at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
    Every Kid Outdoors Pass

    The Every Kid Outdoors program allows 4th-graders to see America’s natural wonders and historic sites for free.

    Annual 4th Grade Pass

    Cost: Free, non-transferable, valid for the duration of the 4th-grade schoolyear though the following summer (September-August).

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    Service
    Land Management and Conservation Assistance
    Educator/Education Facility

    Our Species

    Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to spot a variety of wildlife. Visitors are likely to see bald eagles, including the six pairs that nest on the refuge. Watch for flocks of wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and a wide variety of songbirds including eastern bluebirds, indigo buntings, white-eyed vireos and summer tanagers.