Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge

Auto tour routes offer a great all-season way to see wildlife and habitats from the comfort of your car. By using your car as a viewing blind, you can often see more wildlife than you can see on foot.

Backpacking is allowed, by permit, on some sites where trails that pass through a refuge are too long or remote to hike in one day.

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.

Many Fish and Wildlife Service sites make great destinations for flatwater canoeing or kayaking. Some sites have concessions that rent canoes or kayaks. Some sites offer scheduled paddle tours. See individual refuge websites for details.

Many refuges in the country's northern tier have backcountry trails that can be used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in season. Some refuges lend gear or rent it at low cost.

Fishing is available at 378 units (343 national wildlife refuges and 35 wetland management districts) of the National Wildlife Refuge System, almost 20 national fish hatcheries and other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters. Virtually every type of sport fishing is represented. Anglers must follow state and federal regulations. Check individual sites for season dates and size, day and possession limits.

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.

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.

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.

Many refuges in the country's northern tier have backcountry trails that can be used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in season. Some refuges loan out gear or rent it at low cost.

Trapping is carefully managed to ensure safety and the sustainability of wildlife populations. Permitted trapping on refuges typically mirrors state regulations, and trappers who access refuge lands for recreation must possess state licenses and follow state regulations as well as permit stipulations.

Some refuges allow people to forage in designated areas for seasonal nuts, berries and mushrooms.

Many refuges champion wildlife viewing as a key recreational activity.