Loess Bluffs Refugewildlife
Wildlife with young: June through August are good times to see them, per the Fish and Wildlife Service. Its usual window for this year has passed.
Next 7 days at Loess Bluffs Refuge
- TodayShowers And Thunderstorms76° / 65°96% rain
- ThuShowers And Thunderstorms70° / 56°92% rain
- FriChance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny67° / 52°32% rain
- SatPartly Sunny68° / 53°5% rain
- SunSunny70° / 51°2% rain
- MonSunny69° / 53°2% rain
Today: sunrise 7:17 a.m., sunset 7:06 p.m., light until 7:33 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 78% lit (our calculation)
Your guide to the area
Where to watch
- 10-mile auto tourStarts at the observation deck by the main entrance and loops 10 miles past wetlands, grasslands and forest, with spotting scopes along the drive; open daily from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset
- Callow TrailAn easy, accessible 0.6-mile paved out-and-back trail from the headquarters parking lot, relatively flat, skirting the edge of the loess hill woodlands to the foothills
Nearby
- Sequoyah Refuge320 miMarch – SeptemberSatChance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Noxubee Refuge590 mi3 separate phases, from May
- Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge721 milate February through early April
- Padre Island National Seashore882 mimid-June through August
- Carolina Sandhills Refuge908 mi3 separate phases, from April through OctoberSatSlight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- St. Marks Refuge927 mi3 separate phases, from MaySatChance Showers And Thunderstorms
The year at Loess Bluffs Refuge
- Spring snow goose migration (arrive mid-February, peak mid-March)Feb–Mar
- Wildlife with youngJun–Aug
- Migrating waterfowl on their way southOct–Dec
- Fall snow geese (peak in mid to late November)Oct–Nov
- Bald eagles, best in December and January (migration peak usually by December 1)Dec–Jan
Loess Bluffs Refuge in pictures
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see wildlife at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge?
Wildlife with young: June through August are good times to see them, per the Fish and Wildlife Service: June - August are good times. That's general timing for this place, not a peak date or a forecast.
Is it the season at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge right now?
Not now: its usual wildlife window for this year has passed. Next time: June - August are good times, local timing.
Is there a fee?
No, there is no charge to visit.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When is it open?
The auto tour, lands and trails are open daily, federal holidays included, from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The visitor contact station is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., except federal holidays.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When in the day is best in summer?
Morning and evening, for the best chance at wildlife and to avoid the midday heat.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge: Species ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What should I bring?
Lightweight clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and plenty of water and snacks, and check for ticks when you leave.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What might I see?
White-tailed deer fawns and other young animals in the wetlands, grasslands and woods, lots of nesting songbirds, and snakes and turtles crossing the auto tour.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge: Species ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge?
10-mile auto tour: starts at the observation deck by the main entrance and loops 10 miles past wetlands, grasslands and forest, with spotting scopes along the drive; open daily from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset; Callow Trail: an easy, accessible 0.6-mile paved out-and-back trail from the headquarters parking lot, relatively flat, skirting the edge of the loess hill woodlands to the foothills.
What is Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?
Fall snow geese (peak in mid to late November) (Oct–Nov), Bald eagles, best in December and January (migration peak usually by December 1) (Dec–Jan), Migrating waterfowl on their way south (Oct–Dec), Spring snow goose migration (arrive mid-February, peak mid-March) (Feb–Mar) and Wildlife with young (Jun–Aug).
How we know · Sources (3)
How we know
National Weather Service forecast and alerts (opens in a new tab) (Sep 29) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge: Species (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)