Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge
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Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge
223 North Shore Road
Medicine Lake, MT 59247

Phone: 406-789-2305
E-mail: medicinelake@fws.gov

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located on the heavily glaciated rolling plains of northeastern Montana, between the Missouri River and the Canadian Border. Established as a waterfowl refuge in 1935, Medicine Lake is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The Refuge provides a stopover for migrating birds and is an important breeding ground for waterfowl and shorebirds. The Refuge consists of two tracts - the north tract, which includes the 8,700 acres Medicine Lake proper, five smaller lakes, and numerous potholes and the smaller, south tract, which contains the 1,280 acre Homestead Lake.

Hunting: Portions of the Refuge are open to hunting for white-tailed deer, ducks and geese, upland game birds, and mammalian predators. Permits and special regulations apply; please contact Refuge staff for specific information. Click here for refuge specific regulations.

Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge
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Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge
HC 65, Box 5700
Malta, MT 59538

Phone: 406-654-2863
Email: Bowdoin@fws.gov

Located in the Milk River Valley of Phillips County the refuge is made up of approximately 6,616 acres of wetlands and 8,935 acres of uplands. Although this area was glaciated 15,000 years ago, it does not have the abundance of semi-permanent and permanent wetlands found in the true glaciated prairie. Geologic history indicates that Lake Bowdoin was once an oxbow of the pre-glacial Missouri River, which now flows 70 miles south of Bowdoin NWR. Today, water is gained from rain, snowmelt, irrigation return flows, and occasional spring flooding of Beaver Creek. The main source of water is the Milk River via a system of canals.

The Bowdoin Wetland Management District (WMD) encompasses 9,757 acres of un-staffed satellite refuges which include Black Coulee, Creedman Coulee, Hewitt Lake, and Lake Thibadeau National Wildlife Refuges. The District also contains over 8,860 acres of Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) named Holm, Webb, Dyrdahl, Korsbeck, Pearce, McNeil Slough, and Beaver Creek, all of which are open to the public. All of these sites except Holm WPA are open to public hunting and trapping. Approximately 40% of the Refuge is open to waterfowl and upland bird hunting. Hunters must register each day at the Hunter Check Station. Hunting and public use brochures are available at the Refuge Office and Hunter Check Station. There is no big game hunting or camping allowed on Bowdoin NWR.

The Bowdoin staff also monitors over 8,300 acres of wetland easements and several thousand acres of grassland easements in Phillips, Blaine, Hill, and Valley Counties.

Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and Centennial Valley
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Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
27820 Southside Centennial Road
Lima, MT 59739

Phone: 406-276-3536
Fax: 406-276-3538
Email: RedRocks@fws.gov

Red Rock Lakes NWR is primarily a high elevation mountain wetland-riparian area. Red Rock Creek flows through the upper end of the Centennial Valley, within which the Refuge lies, creating the impressive Upper Red Rock Lake, River Marsh, and Lower Red Rock Lake marshlands. The rugged Centennial Mountains border the Refuge on the south, catching the snows of winter that replenish the Refuge’s lakes and marshes.

The best time to visit the Refuge is from May through September. Refuge headquarters can be reached by turning off Interstate 15 at Monida, Montana, and driving 28 miles east on an improved (partially graveled) dirt road. If you are coming from West Yellowstone, follow U.S. 20 for about 12 miles west to the junction with Montana Highway 87. Travel northwest on Montana 87 for five miles and turn south at the Sawtell historical marker. Follow the paved road around the west shore of Henry's Lake for approximately 5 miles onto Red Rock Pass Road (improved dirt road), following it west for about 25 miles to the Refuge entrance. The round trip through the Refuge averages about 100 miles. Gasoline and road service are not available in the area. Fill your tank up before leaving the paved highways. Dirt roads are rough and flat tires are not uncommon. Access by cars and wheeled vehicles is seasonal, as snows can block roads in winter. Snowmobiling is limited to the existing Red Rock Pass Road. The road from the east is usually not open until mid-May. Local inquiry as to road conditions is advisable at any time of year.

Hunting is permitted in designated areas of the Refuge for ducks, geese, coots, moose, elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, and pronghorn during the state hunting seasons for these species. Click here for refuge specific regulations.

Hebgen Lake
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Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge
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Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge
922 Bootlegger Trail
Great Falls, Montana 59404

Phone: 406-727-7400
Fax: 406-727-7432
E-mail: bentonlake@fws.gov

Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge covers 12,383 acres on the western edge of the Great Plains, near Great Falls, Montana. The lake is actually a 5,000 acre shallow marsh in a closed basin created by the last continental glacier to occupy the area. The gentle rolling refuge uplands are dominated by 6,000 acres of native short grass prairie. Approximately 700 acres of former crop land has been planted to dense nesting cover, a mix of tall growing grasses and legumes. Water for refuge marshes is supplied by natural runoff from the small Lake Creek watershed and by water pumped from Muddy Creek, a stream 15 miles west of the refuge. The refuge lands support a great variety of water birds with both nesting and migration habitat. Up to 100,000 ducks, 40,000 geese, 5,000 tundra swans, bald eagles and peregrines may be observed in migration. Refuge habitat annually produces up to 20,000 ducks, 500 Canada geese, 10,000 Franklin's gulls, white-faced ibis and other species. A 9 mile auto tour route is open to the public for wildlife observation. Stop at information kiosk for leaflets or at refuge office during working hours; Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm. The auto tour is open during the winter as weather permits.

Hunting: Waterfowl and upland game bird hunting is permitted during the fall in designated hunting areas. About 4,000 acres is open to public hunting of game birds. The Refuge complies with State hunting regulations, and enforces several Refuge specific hunting regulations. Click here for refuge specific regulations. Big game hunting is not permitted.