Kofa National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1939 for the protection of desert bighorn sheep and other native wildlife following a 1936 campaign by the Arizona Boy Scouts. Originally designated Kofa Game Range, the refuge was managed jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management fo…
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1939 for the protection of desert bighorn sheep and other native wildlife following a 1936 campaign by the Arizona Boy Scouts. Originally designated Kofa Game Range, the refuge was managed jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management for decades. In 1976, control of the refuge was awarded to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and it was renamed Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge's name was derived from an acronym for one of the area’s most notable mines, the King of Arizona gold mine. Kofa WildernessDesignated in 1990547,719 acresThe Wilderness Act of 1964 created the National Wilderness Preservation System "in order to assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas in the United States, and its possession, leaving no lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition..."Congress designated 547,719 acres or over 80 percent of Kofa National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness through the 1990 Arizona Desert Wilderness Act. Along with the Kofa Wilderness, the New Water Mountains Wilderness was designated at the same time on 24,600 acres on the north boundary of the Kofa Wilderness.For more information about Kofa Wilderness please visit: wilderness.net
Photos
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge — Robert BurtonKofa National Wildlife RefugeKofa National WIldlife RefugeKofa National Wildlife Refuge
How to Get There
The refuge is located 40 miles north of Yuma, Arizona, on the east side of State Highway 95. The coordinates for the King Valley entrance are 33.24977, -114.21724.
Heading to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge? A few things to know before you go:
Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation for Kofa National Wildlife Refuge?
No central reservation system listed for Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. Check the official page (https://www.recreation.gov/recarea/1459) for the latest entry policy and availability.
How do I get to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge?
The refuge is located 40 miles north of Yuma, Arizona, on the east side of State Highway 95. The coordinates for the King Valley entrance are 33.24977, -114.21724.
