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When to catch Mingo Refugeat its best

Mingo Refuge through the year: spring migration (local timing: April and May are the best months), fall foliage (2 separate phases, from September) and winter wildlife (3 separate phases, from September and October). 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 chance rain showers, 72°F · Sun slight chance rain showers then mostly sunny, 75°F
  • Park alertsCheck the managing agency before you go

When are you going?

Fall at Mingo Refuge

Best spots

Where each event's source says to go

Spring migration

  • Swampwalk Nature TrailAn accessible 0.8-mile raised boardwalk and asphalt path through bottomland hardwood forest beside Ditch 11, near Rockhouse Marsh just below the visitor center; open all year, reached from Bluff Road off MO-51 or down the short, steep Bluff Trail from the visitor centerU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
  • Ozark Highlands Auto Tour RouteOne of the refuge's three wildlife drives, open March to November when conditions and weather allow (it can close at any time for maintenance or management); the 0.8-mile round-trip Sweet Cabin Trail starts near Stanley Creek along itU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Fall foliage

  • Swampwalk Nature TrailAn accessible 0.8-mile raised boardwalk and asphalt path through bottomland hardwood forest beside Ditch 11, near Rockhouse Marsh just below the visitor center; open all year, reached from Bluff Road off MO-51 or down the short, steep Bluff Trail from the visitor centerU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
  • Ozark Highlands Auto Tour RouteOne of the refuge's three wildlife drives, open March to November when conditions and weather allow (it can close at any time for maintenance or management); the 0.8-mile round-trip Sweet Cabin Trail starts near Stanley Creek along itU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Winter wildlife

  • Bluff Road and Red Mill DriveThe two wildlife drives open all year: drive them to look for wildlife and swamp scenery. Bluff Road leaves MO-51 just north of the visitor center entrance, and Red Mill Drive starts from Bluff RoadU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
  • Swampwalk Nature TrailAn accessible 0.8-mile raised boardwalk and asphalt path through bottomland hardwood forest beside Ditch 11, near Rockhouse Marsh just below the visitor center; open all year, reached from Bluff Road off MO-51 or down the short, steep Bluff Trail from the visitor centerU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Next 7 days at Mingo Refuge

Forecast: National Weather Service
  • TodayMostly Sunny91° / 68°1% rain
  • ThuPartly Sunny91° / 66°59% rain
  • FriShowers And Thunderstorms76° / 58°84% rain
  • SatChance Rain Showers72° / 55°31% rain
  • SunSlight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny75° / 51°23% rain
  • MonSunny72° / 45°–
  • TueSunny72° / 49°1% rain

Today: sunrise 6:56 a.m., sunset 6:47 p.m., light until 7:13 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 78% lit (our calculation)

Visitor reports, not verified

Been here in the last week? Tell us how the trees looked.

What color were the trees?

Tap the one that looks most like what you saw.

One report per place for each day you saw it, no name or email · How reports work · Terms · Privacy

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

Mingo Refuge in pictures

Illustrative photos, not current conditions
Five white swans and a scattering of dark ducks on a pond in front of bare trees
Swans and smaller ducks on Binford Pond at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge (date not given). Photo: Debbie Koenigs/USFWS · public domain · resized
Clouds and low sun reflected in the still water of Rockhouse Marsh, with bare trees on the far shore
Sunset over Rockhouse Marsh at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge (date not given; a view of the marsh, not of fall color). Photo: Debbie Koenigs/USFWS · public domain · resized

Questions people ask

Is there a fee?

Yes. Every vehicle needs an entrance permit all year: a $3 daily permit (sold at the visitor center and at the entrance kiosks), a $12 Mingo annual pass, a Federal Duck Stamp or an interagency pass.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When is it open?

Refuge lands and trails are open daily from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. The visitor center is open Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on federal holidays.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

What should I bring?

Binoculars or a camera, sunglasses, insect repellent with long sleeves and pants, water, snacks, sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes and layers. In warmer months ticks, chiggers and poison ivy are around, and cell coverage can be spotty.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When in the day is best?

Morning and evening are the best times to see wildlife. Weekends are the busiest, but there's plenty of room to spread out.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How we know

Every timing above, from these pages; checked Sep 29