Colusa National Wildlife Refuge

About Colusa National Wildlife Refuge

Colusa NWR was established in 1945 as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife and to reduce damage of agricultural crops caused by waterfowl.The refuge lies in the Colusa Basin and is bisected by the Colusa Basin Drain, which drains the basin southeast to the Sacramento River. The low topography and presence of the Colusa Basin Drain makes refuge lands subject to regular winter flooding.Thousands of waterfowl are present from September through March. Peak populations occur in December and January. Colusa NWR regularly supports peak wintering populations of over 150,000 ducks and 60,000 geese. Many birds including nesting wood ducks and mammals can be seen year-round.The habitats include seasonal marshes, permanent ponds, and uplands. The seasonally flooded, saline-alkali soils provide great habitat for the palmate-bracted bird's-beak, a federally listed threatened plant species. It is an annual herb in the snapdragon family and its petals are divided into two lips with the upper one shaped like a bird's-beak, leading to its name.

How to Get There

Traveling north or south on Interstate 5:Exit at Highway 20, in WilliamsTravel 6.7 miles east on Highway 20Turn right onto O'Hair RoadFollow the road to the visitor area at Colusa NWRClick here for a map with directions Parts of Colusa NWR are also viewable via:The auto tour route and walking trail off of Highway 20. From Abel Road (county-maintained road)*From Ohm Road (county-maintained road)*From Ware Road (county-maintained road)**Please be cautious when viewing from public roads as they are open to public traffic and may have soft shoulders. Check station is approximately 11.4 miles southeast from Williams (Hwy 20 exit) and 7.6 miles east from Husted Rd exitFrom Interstate 5, heading south:exit at Hwy 20go 4.4 miles east on Hwy 20go 5.5 miles south on Lonestar Rdgo 1.5 miles east on Ware Rd to Check Station gateClick here for a map with directionsFrom Interstate 5, heading north:exit at Husted Rd (9 miles north of Arbuckle)go 1.2 miles north on Husted Rdgo 2.9 miles east on Abel Rdgo 2 miles south on Lonestar Rdgo 1.5 miles east on Ware Rd to Check Station gateClick here for a map with directions

Plan Your Visit to Colusa National Wildlife Refuge

Heading to Colusa 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)