Refuge Visitor Center Opening Saturday Hours

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge La Crosse District Visitor
Center will begin Saturday operating hours on Sat. April 1, 2023, running through Sat.
October 28, 2023. The expanded hours will be:
Open: Tuesday – Saturday: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Closed: Sunday- Monday and on all federal holidays.
Looking for something fun to do outside the Visitor Center? Check out a “Let’s Go Outside”
backpack at the front desk! Family nature journaling activities are inside, along with a bug
jar, kid-sized binoculars, seasonal field guides and more! These FREE backpacks may be
checked out during Visitor Center hours to take while you explore the trails.
Planning a trip to a national park, national forest, or other federal lands site? Pick up a
“National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass” anytime during our open hours. The
passes waive entrance fees on federal lands. Anyone may purchase an annual pass for
$80. Senior citizens over the age of 62 years may purchase an annual pass for $20 or a
lifetime pass for $80. Free passes are available for active-duty military, military veterans,
4th grade students, and citizens with a permanent disability that severely impacts major life
functions. Cash or check payments are needed for passes and specific forms of
identification are required for several of the pass types. Learn more about the pass
program and pass qualifications here: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm or give
us a call at 608-779-2399. Federal Duck Stamps for the 2023-2024 season will be available
in mid-July – stay tuned for more info!
Interested in trying something new? Come join our volunteer crew! We are looking for help
staffing the front desk on Saturday afternoons as well as weekday substitutes. Visitor
Center volunteers help greet and count visitors, direct questions to staff, share tips for

things to do, as well as their own passion and expertise. We are looking for out-going folks
who enjoy interacting with visitors of all ages and backgrounds.

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the most visited
refuge in the United States. The refuge extends 261 miles along the Upper
Mississippi River from Wabasha, Minn. to Rock Island, Ill., protecting and preserving
habitat for migratory birds, fish, and a variety of other wildlife.
In addition to being the most visited refuge in the country, the “Upper Miss” Refuge
has the added complexity of a major navigation system, including 11 locks and dams,
within its boundary. It is also a world-class fish and wildlife area which harbors 306
species of birds; 119 species of fish; more than 300 active bald eagle nests;
thousands of heron and egret nests; spectacular concentrations of canvasback ducks,
tundra swans, and white pelicans; and several threatened or endangered species.