Facility Activities

Iowa Wetland Management District provides visitors with year round opportunities to hunt, fish, observe and photograph wildlife, investigate nature or take a hike just to enjoy the fresh air.

Auto tour
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.
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.
Boating - motorized
Boats provide the best way to see many refuges. Some refuges limit the use of motorboats to certain areas, subject to restrictions on engine size.
Boating - non-motorized
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.
Cross-country skiing
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

As they are in much of the Prairie Pothole Region, fishing opportunities are limited and scattered through 35-county Iowa Wetland Management District.

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.
Hunting

Some of the best waterfowl hunting opportunities in central Iowa can be found in one of the waterfowl production areas (WPAs) in 17 counties that make up the Iowa WMD. This district covers almost one-third of the state, with 22,000 acres of huntable land, some of which can be heavily used by...

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.
Snowshoeing
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
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.
Wildlife watching
Many refuges champion wildlife viewing as a key recreational activity.