Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge

About Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge

In 1958, under the authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, the area surrounding Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was designated as closed to the hunting or taking of migratory birds. The Migratory Bird Closure Zone surrounded the original 4,068-acre area of the refuge and covered an additional 2,732 acres along the Arkansas River and the cutoff channel. The refuge manages 441 acres of the closure zone that are outside the refuge fee title boundary.The refuge is recognized by the National Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area (IBA) that supports the bald eagle [Haliaeetus leucocephalus], which was federally listed as “Threatened” at the time that Holla Bend NWR was designated as an IBA. In July 2007, the bald eagle population of the lower 48 states was ruled to be “recovered” and the species was removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, alongside 23 other species considered to be “of conservation concern” at the state level. Audubon Arkansas also characterizes the refuge as an “outstanding stopover site” for migratory landbirds. Holla Bend NWR was recognized as a Global IBA in 2008 for its population of a globally threatened species, the rusty blackbird.A 100-acre tract of cottonwood-dominated bottomland forest in the northeastern corner of the refuge is formally designated as a Research Natural Area (RNA). The RNA serves as an experimental control for monitoring the effects of forest management activities elsewhere on the refuge, and also provides researchers an opportunity to document natural successional changes in this habitat as it matures.

How to Get There

Do NOT rely on Google Maps to get you to the Headquarters. Please use the directions or the GPS coordinates provided below.Holla Bend NWR is located about 5 miles southeast of Dardanelle, Arkansas. From Dardanelle, take State Highway 7 South to State Highway 155 South and go about 4 miles to the refuge entrance. Once you enter the refuge, the office/visitor area is 1/2 mile down the road on the rightGPS Coordinates: 35.163269, -93.093490

Plan Your Visit to Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge

Heading to Holla Bend 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

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)