Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge Overview

Established in 1947, Crab Orchard is unique among national refuges because it hosts industrial operations within its boundaries. The refuge's land was transferred to the public by the War Department, which had run the Illinois Ordnance Plant there during World War II. The congressional act mandating the transfer stipulated that industry could continue to use the space, and maintaining that industry is one of the refuge's aims (albeit a diminishing aim, as industry slowly reduces its presence).

The other goals of Crab Orchard are more typical of national lands: recreational use, agricultural development, and wildlife conservation. The refuge's 43,600 acres, half of which are a wildlife sanctuary and closed to the public, host a 4,000-acre designated wilderness, more than 5,000 acres of cropland, and three manmade lakes teeming with fish. The generally flat terrain is enlivened by forested hills in the south and chock-full of wildlife.

Over one million people visit Crab Orchard each year, mainly to enjoy the lakes but also for wildlife observation, nature walks, and environmental education. Five youth camps on Little Grassy Lake provide a place for children (about 25,000 annually) to learn about nature and the refuge.

And if you're in the area, be sure to visit Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, a wetlands preserve with magnificent old-growth cypress trees.

Watch the Wildlife
An observation platform on State Route 148 offers vantage points of Crab Orchard Lake's backwaters, a great place to see migrating waterfowl. Visitors also enjoy the four popular nature trails, including the Woodland Trail at the visitor center and the Rocky Bluff Trail, both of which provide rich wildlife viewing. The refuge hosts some nesting pairs of bald eagles and double-crested cormorants, pied-bill grebes, horned grebes, great egrets, great blue herons, wild turkeys, and ring-billed gulls, just to name a few of the 222 resident bird species. Besides birds, visitors can spy on snakes, beavers, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, deer, rabbits, and the state endangered bobcat. The Fall Discovery Auto Tour gives visitors rare access to the closed area of the refuge for wildlife and foliage viewing and should not be missed.

Wade into the Water
The three refuge lakes—Crab Orchard, Little Grassy, and Devil's Kitchen—are full of recreation-seekers interested in boating, sailing, water skiing, and fishing. Crab Orchard Lake is the largest at 7,000 acres and has marinas and campgrounds. Three major bass tournaments are held on Crab Orchard Lake, and fishers can look forward to catching largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill among the 62 species of fish populating the waterways.

Hike a Nature Trail
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge has four nature trails, including the fully accessible Woodland Trail at the visitor center and the Rocky Bluff Trail so popular for viewing spring and summer wildflowers. This is a great place to visit for novice hikers, and seasoned trail stompers who just want to limber up a little in the early spring when wildflowers are in bloom.