Skip to main content
Illustration

Mississippi

When to catch Dahomey Refugeat its best

Dahomey Refuge through the year: spring migration (local timing: March – June) and wildflowers (local timing: April). Each has its own page with spots, sources and the latest reports.

RIGHT NOW · SEP 30

  • Latest reportNo dated report this season; the posters below show each usual window.
  • This weekend (NWS)Sat rain showers likely, 82°F · Sun chance rain showers, 79°F
  • Park alertsCheck the managing agency before you go

When are you going?

Fall at Dahomey Refuge

Good in fall

  • Marbled salamanders move to breeding sites and lay eggs under logs

From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.

Nearby in fall

Where to go at Dahomey Refuge

Spots, visitor points and places nearby
  • Dahomey RefugeLocal timing: March – JuneThis page
  • Yazoo RefugeLocal timing: From March through May

Best spots

Where each event's source says to go

Spring migration

  • Herbert Nature TrailA mowed one-mile loop, open year-round, around the lake to a viewing tower over a meadow and reforestation area where wildlife can be seen all yearU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
  • Paw Paw TrailA mowed half-mile trail (one way), open year-round, past tall cottonwoods and bald cypresses along creeks and sloughs to a photo blind over a small sloughU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Wildflowers

  • Paw Paw TrailA mowed half-mile trail (one way), open year-round, past tall cottonwoods and bald cypresses along creeks and sloughs to a photo blind over a small sloughU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
  • Butterfly garden at refuge headquartersFlowers here bloom through spring and summer and draw pollinators into early fall; best mid-morning and late afternoon. Headquarters is on the north side of Highway 446, 11 miles west of Highway 61U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Next 7 days at Dahomey Refuge

Forecast: National Weather Service
  • TodayMostly Sunny95° / 71°–
  • ThuMostly Sunny94° / 72°28% rain
  • FriChance Rain Showers90° / 67°63% rain
  • SatRain Showers Likely82° / 64°72% rain
  • SunChance Rain Showers79° / 61°53% rain
  • MonMostly Sunny79° / 55°8% rain
  • TueSunny79° / 58°8% rain

Today: sunrise 6:58 a.m., sunset 6:51 p.m., light until 7:16 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 78% lit (our calculation)

Nearby, and when they peak

Straight-line miles; roads are longer

Towns nearby

Straight-line miles; each town page has frost dates and its nature year

Dahomey Refuge in pictures

Illustrative photos, not current conditions
The Herbert Nature Trail at Dahomey refuge
The Herbert Nature Trail at Dahomey National Wildlife Refuge (date not given). Photo: Amber Floyd/USFWS · public domain · resized
A copper iris flower at Dahomey refuge
Copper iris at Dahomey National Wildlife Refuge (date not given). Photo: Larry Pace · public domain · resized

Questions people ask

When is the refuge open?

From sunrise to sunset.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dahomey NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Do I need to wear orange?

During all hunting seasons, yes: every visitor must wear at least 500 square inches of visible fluorescent orange above the waist.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dahomey NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Is anyone at the headquarters?

As of September 2026, the headquarters building on Highway 446 isn't staffed, so plan your visit ahead.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dahomey NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Can the trails flood?

Yes, at certain times of year. The two mowed trails (Herbert Nature Trail and Paw Paw Trail) are open year-round; the other 11 trails aren't maintained.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dahomey NWR: Hiking ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How we know

Every timing above, from these pages; checked Sep 29