Upper Mississippi River Refugewildlife
The refuge's 11 species of frogs and toads sing, chirp and croak from April to August; listen for them in the evenings at the marsh, per the Fish and Wildlife Service. Its usual window for this year has passed.
Right now at Upper Mississippi River Refuge
Right now in Upper Mississippi River Refuge · September
- La Crosse District Visitor Center summer hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. · May–Oct
Your guide to the area
Where to watch
- Shady Maple Interpretive TrailA 1.18-mile loop through bottomland forest in Goose Island County Park with views of the wetlands; listen for frogs calling in spring. Can be wet in spring and summer
- Upper Halfway Creek Marsh Area dikesThree short dikes (about 1.25 miles in all) between restored wetlands and wet meadows, half a mile east of the La Crosse visitor center on County Road ZN; signed parts close in mid-spring and summer for nesting waterfowl
Nearby
- Necedah Refuge73 mi3 separate phases, from late MaySatMostly Sunny
- Sherburne Refuge142 mi2 separate phases, from June – AugustSatChance Rain Showers
- Rice Lake Refuge190 miJune through August
- Chautauqua Refuge268 mi2 separate phases, from Late May to early June
- Emiquon Refuge269 mi2 separate phases, from Late May to early June
- Sleeping Bear Dunes280 mi2 separate phases, from From late April through Early June
The year at Upper Mississippi River Refuge
- Eleven species of frogs and toads singing, chirping and croakingApr–Aug
- Songbird migration: April and May are some of the best timesApr–May
- La Crosse District Visitor Center summer hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.NowMay–Oct
- La Crosse District Visitor Center winter hours: Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.Nov–Apr
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see wildlife at Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge?
The refuge's 11 species of frogs and toads sing, chirp and croak from April to August; listen for them in the evenings at the marsh, per the Fish and Wildlife Service: from April to August. That's general timing for this place, not a peak date or a forecast.
Is it the season at Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge right now?
Not now: its usual wildlife window for this year has passed. Next time: from April to August, local timing.
When should I listen?
In the evenings at the marsh. The sora rail, the most common marsh bird, is seldom seen but often heard early in the morning or late in the evening.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River NWFR: Species ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Are the Upper Halfway Creek dikes open in summer?
Partly: signed parts of the dikes close in mid-spring and summer for nesting waterfowl. The dikes aren't formal trails, and their mowed surface is uneven and can be soft in wet weather.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River NWFR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Can I stay after dark?
The La Crosse District trails, the Upper Halfway Creek dikes and the Shady Maple trail are open dawn to dusk.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River NWFR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What else nests here in summer?
Great blue herons, great egrets and double-crested cormorants nest in rookeries in the floodplain forest, and groups of American white pelicans feed in formation or soar over the refuge.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River NWFR: Species ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge?
Shady Maple Interpretive Trail: a 1.18-mile loop through bottomland forest in Goose Island County Park with views of the wetlands; listen for frogs calling in spring. Can be wet in spring and summer; Upper Halfway Creek Marsh Area dikes: three short dikes (about 1.25 miles in all) between restored wetlands and wet meadows, half a mile east of the La Crosse visitor center on County Road ZN; signed parts close in mid-spring and summer for nesting waterfowl.
What is Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge like through the year?
Songbird migration: April and May are some of the best times (Apr–May), Eleven species of frogs and toads singing, chirping and croaking (Apr–Aug), La Crosse District Visitor Center summer hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. (May–Oct) and La Crosse District Visitor Center winter hours: Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. (Nov–Apr).