Urban Adventure - Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Meet at the kiosk outside the visitor center at 9am. We will start walking no later than 9:15am.

For those needing a ride, please look at the roster to see who is offering to drive and contact them directly (by clicking on their name and seeing their contact info). It is not the trip leader's responsibility to arrange carpools.

We will be stopping when we see things to identify and/or take photos. Plan on at least three hours at the refuge.

Pack sack lunch since there is no food facilities at the refuge.

Bring binoculars or scope if you have them! If you don't have any, the visitor center will loan then out while holding on to your I.D.

Weather - If it's lightly misting, we will still have the event. However, if rain will be constant, we will reschedule the trip. I will check the forecast the afternoon before the field trip and send an email update to everyone on the roster (so be sure to keep an eye out for it).

Daily fee is $3.00 per four adults. An Interagency Annual Pass (old Golden Eagle), Senior Pass (old Golden Age), or Access Pass, Federal Duck Stamp, or an Annual Refuge Pass will admit the pass holder and 3 additional adults (over age 16). Children 16 and under enter free. Each of these passes are available for purchase at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Administration Office and Visitor Center. All proceeds from entrance fees and passes go back into Nisqually NWR programs.

Note: Audio Playback is Not Allowed
Human activities on a refuge must be compatible with the primary wildlife purposes of each Refuge. The use of playback tapes is an issue of growing concern as the use of technology for birding and wildlife photography continues to increase and evolve. Some birders will use bird calls in the field to verify a call they have heard. They may play the call quietly so only they are able to hear it or use headphones, which minimize any potential impact on birds in the wild. However, regarding the use of playback tapes to entice or elicit a response from birds in the wild, there are two Refuge regulations that apply here; 50 CFR 27.51 prohibits disturbing and attempting to disturb wildlife on any national wildlife refuge; in addition, 50 CFR 27.72 prohibits “the operation or use of audio devices including radios, recording and playback devices, loudspeakers....so as to cause unreasonable disturbance to others in the vicinity.” Use of audio devices to lure birds would violate at least one if not both of these regulations. We discourage the use of playback tapes on Nisqually NWR for the purpose of getting birds to respond since it can be disturbing to wildlife and other visitors and would be difficult if not impossible to avoid violating Refuge regulations in doing so.