Visit Us
National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings.
The Pixley National Wildlife Refuge is one of very few areas in the Southern San Joaquin Valley where the public can enjoy viewing sandhill cranes, which roost here from September through March with numbers peaking to 6,000. The best time of year to observe sandhill cranes, as well as other wintering birds, is during the late winter and early months of spring.
Activities
Pixley National Wildlife is a Refuge good place to visit to observe wildlife. Staff-led education programs may be available by scheduling an event with the refuge office.
Trails
Trail Name: Pixley National Wildlife Refuge Trail
Open Season: Open year round. Not open to biking or horseback riding.
Length: 1.5 miles
Surface and difficulty: Natural surface. Easy hike.
Information: The trail highlights thirteen stops with interpretive panels and wildlife viewing areas. An observation deck at the end of the trail provides a view of areas that cannot be seen from the ground. The trail and observation deck are open from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week. Please keep in mind that hiking is allowed on the nature trail only; all other areas are closed to the public.
Related Documents
There are several printed brochures and maps available at the refuge office, located at Kern National Wildlife Refuge. Some of these are also available online for download. The links below will take you to pages where you can save these as PDF files to your computer or to your mobile device.
Other Facilities in the Complex
Pixley National Wildlife Refuge is managed as part of the Kern National Wildlife Refuge Complex, with headquarters at Kern National Wildlife Refuge. Visit Kern NWR's homepage to learn more about the complex.
Locations
From State Highway 99, at the community of Earlimart, California, take the Avenue 56 exit (Sierra Ave.) west 5.7 miles. Just before Road 88 is a directional sign directing you to the refuge, turn north after the sign on Road 88. Take this road north for approximately 1 mile until you cross a small ditch (Deer Creek). Immediately after the ditch and to the west is a gravel parking area. The trailhead is found here. Trail guides are available in the box near the information sign.From Highway 43, turn east onto Sierra Avenue (Avenue 56). Continue east along Sierra Avenue (Avenue 56) to Road 88, where you will find a directional sign guiding you to the refuge. Turn north on Road 88 and proceed one mile until you cross a small ditch (Deer Creek). After the ditch, you will find the parking lot on the west side of the road and the trailhead.