Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge

The visitor center on State Route 148 is the hub of the refuge. It's a first stop for information both for the refuge and the Williamson County Tourism Bureau, which is housed in the same building.

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 wildlfowers. Hunting is permitted for waterfowl, squirrels, rabbits, quail, and white-tailed deer. A new observation deck on State Route 148 overlooks the backwater of Crab Orchard Lake and is a good vantage point for seeing migrating waterfowl.

Three nesting pairs of bald eagles highlight the 222 bird species documented on the refuge. As many as 29 bald eagles are seen on the refuge during winter. Shorebirds are attracted to moist soil mudflats. Other birds include double-crested cormorants, pied-bill grebes, horned grebes, great egrets, and great blue herons. Over 1,000 great blue herons and nearly 300 great egrets have been seen in the fall. Huge flocks of ring-billed gulls can be seen fishing for shad during spring migrations.

More than 200 bluebird boxes are maintained and monitored by refuge volunteers. A recent Christmas bird count on the refuge produced 82 species including tundra swans, loggerhead shrikes, short eared owl, white winged scoter, and horned larks, all of which are not commonly seen on the refuge.

Although mild winters have reduced the numbers of geese and ducks on the refuge, hunting clubs that farm for geese and provide guided hunts have sprung up around the refuge creating a multimillion dollar industry. Lower geese numbers resulted in pressures for the introduction of non-migratory geese, a practice that has created goose nuisances in other areas of the country. Nevertheless, the state of Illinois began introducing a resident flock outside the refuge during the summer of 1999.

Other refuge species include 19 snakes, 38 mammals, including the state endangered bobcat, and 62 species of fish.

Flowering plants include prickly-pear cactus and orchids and 115 types of trees. Keep your eyes open for beavers, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, deer, bobcats, and a small number of copperhead snakes. Camping, fires, and motor vehicles are not permitted.