Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

Update 6/1/2021: During rainy conditions, the county gravel roads found within the refuge boundary, including the bison enclosure road, can be muddy. Please use caution while driving on the refuge roads. The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge visitor center will remain closed until further notice. Check our Facebook page for updates. The trails and auto tour drive remain open daily from sunrise to sunset. A restroom is located at the Oak Savanna Trail parking lot.... For COVID-19 regulations related to your refuge visit go to: https://www.fws.gov/home/public-health-update.html Please follow CDC guidelines when visiting. While outdoors sites remain open at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge during the current coronavirus pandemic, we urge visitors to follow CDC guidelines. Maintain adequate social distancing, avoid overcrowding and exercise good hygiene. If a parking lot is full when you visit, please do not stop. We understand that the outdoors can help relieve stress, but these guidelines must be followed for our public health and safety. For now, the refuge visitor center and other public facilities are closed and most scheduled events have been postponed. For more information please visit our webpage, FWS Coronavirus Respon

Several bison calves were born in early May at the refuge. Thank you to Rebecca Smith for sharing this lovely photo of a newborn calf and its mom. Photo: Cow bison with her newborn calf on the prairie courtesy of Rebecca Smith.

Hoary puccoon is one of the first blooming plants of the season. The word puccoon is an Native American name for plants that produce dyes. Hoary puccoon has large red roots that were used by Native Americans to dye pottery, baskets, and ceremonial ornaments. Photo: Hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens) blooming in the prairie by Kelly Jacobs, USFWS

Caption Call! If you look closely at this photo you can see more than one pair of legs. Killdeer chicks can walk and find food soon after hatching while the parents stand guard. However, for protection, the chicks will seek shelter under a parent’s wing. Place your cleverest caption below. We will pick a winner tomorrow. Photo: Killdeer standing with a chick nestled under its wing with just its legs showing courtesy of Joan Van Gorp.

Rooster ring-necked pheasants sport stunning colors year round but they are especially dazzling during the breeding season. A rooster typically has a harem of several females during spring mating season. Hen pheasants nest on the ground and produce a clutch of around twelve eggs sometime between April and June. They are often seen along the roadsides at the refuge. Photo: Ring-necked pheasant rooster courtesy of Eileen Vandenbaard

Good news! Our OnCell app is now available for free download to mobile devices from Google Play and the Apple Store. Search "Neal Smith NWR App." Listen to the auto tour or browse Nancy's spotlight of bird watching on the Overlook Trail! Photo: Neal Smith NWR App screenshot by Patrick Bryant/USFWS

A sweet photo of a bison calf to greet you at the beginning of the work week. Photo: Bison calf sitting on the prairie courtesy of Theresa J. Neumeyer