For those outside the U.S., a National Wildlife Refuge is different than a National Park. A National Park protects an area of special scenic or cultural value whereas a National Wildlife Refuge protects an area that is valuable for the preservation of some living thing(s).
For that reason, the focus on a NWR isn’t on visitors (except for the purpose of informing visitors of the importance of the area). You’ll often find crowds at a National Park that expect to be entertained, but you’ll not find those same people at a National Wildlife Refuge. You will find that visitors to a NWR are just as well-informed as the staff in the visitor center.
A NWR is rarely spectacular, but they are valuable for other reasons—and, always are worth visiting. I’ve been to quite a few, but there are many others left to see.
Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge
Baca National Wildlife Refuge
Balcones National Wildlife Refuge
Bitter Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge
Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
Deep Fork River National Wildlife Refuge
Grulla National Wildlife Refuge
Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge
Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge
Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge
Kern National Wildlife Refuge
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge
Little River National Wildlife Refuge
Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge
Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge
Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
North Platte National Wildlife Refuge
Optima National Wildlife Refuge
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
Sabine National Wildlife Refuge
Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge
Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge
Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge
Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge
