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The two islands that make up Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge are closed to the public. Hennepin and Spirit islands are a sensitive breeding area for a variety of colony-nesting birds.

If you are boating on Mille Lacs Lake, please stay at least 100 yards offshore while fishing or observing wildlife from your watercraft. Minimizing human disturbance to the water birds that call the refuge home is a high priority.

Other Facilities in the Complex

Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge is a part of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The complex includes four national wildlife refuges located throughout east central Minnesota, including Sherburne, Crane Meadows, Rice Lake and Mille Lacs national wildlife refuges. These refuges are under shared management, with Complex Headquarters located in Zimmerman, Minnesota.

Large number of ducks flying against a blue sky without clouds; the ducks are dots in this photo with the treeline canopy along the bottom of the image.
Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in Aitkin County in east central Minnesota, about five miles south of the community of McGregor. It was established in 1935 to preserve valuable habitat for waterfowl. The most important resource on the refuge is Rice Lake itself, a shallow, 3,600-acre...
National Wildlife Refuge
Mcgregor,MN
11 sandhill cranes in flight with wings outstretched, with only the sky in the background. The cranes are all flying to the left and the sky is a mix of periwinkle blue and thin white clouds.
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
The 30,700 acre refuge was established in 1965 at the urging of local conservationists and hunters interested in restoring the wildlife values of the St. Francis River Basin. Following that, the refuge became and remains the largest public land holding in Sherburne County. The refuge is now a wild...
National Wildlife Refuge
Zimmerman,MN
Platte River at Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1992 to protect one of the largest, most intact wetland complexes remaining in central Minnesota. Currently, the refuge is made up of 14 different parcels of land, totaling 2,150 acres. Featuring a rich mosaic of healthy sedge meadow,...
National Wildlife Refuge
Little Falls,MN

Rules and Policies

The two islands that make up Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge are closed to the public. Only permitted researchers and refuge staff conducting habitat management work can step foot on the islands. If you are boating on Mille Lacs Lake, please stay at least 100 yards offshore while fishing or observing wildlife from your watercraft.

Locations

Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge
(218) 768-2402
C/O Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge36289 State Highway 65McGregor,MN55760-5875
Hours
Refuge Hours
Closed to the public
Refuge islands are a sensitive breeding area for colony-nesting birds
Spirit Island
Hennepin Island