Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

About

Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is 2,000 acres of tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, and wetlands with dense stands of wild rice that was established in 1992. It features a unique sand plain wetland/upland complex with a rich mosaic of healthy sedge meadow, shallow lake, oak savanna, prairie, shrubland and forest habitats. It encompasses a large wetland system at the confluence of four tributaries that feed high quality water to Rice and Skunk Lakes and the Platte River. The Rice-Skunk Lakes complex features one of the largest unaltered sedge meadow wetlands in Minnesota. This complex provides critical habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, and sandhill cranes. The refuge supports one of the largest nesting populations of greater sandhill cranes in Minnesota. Bald eagle, northern harrier, short-ear owl, great blue heron, and blue-winged teal are just some of the other birds that can be seen. Also, look for beavers, minks, muskrats,Blanding's turtles, fox, coyotes, and badgers. Recreational opportunities include wildlife viewing, photography, hiking and cross-country skiing along the 3.7 mile Platte River Trail.

Dates

Refuge Headquarters - Open Intermittently Mon-Fri. Outdoor Facilities - The Platte River Trail is open year round during daylight hours for hiking, bird watching, photography, and cross-country skiing seasonally.

Rates

Refuge access is free to the public