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Visitor Center Hour Change

Due to limited staff capacity, the Visitor Center (VC) hours have changed. The VC hours are now Thursday-Sunday 10 AM- 4PM. The refuge remains open from sunup to sundown and brochures are available at our kiosks in front of the Visitor Center, Meer's Point, and the Painted Desert Trail. 

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive Order 8685 on February 14, 1941. The 25,768-acre refuge protects 30 miles of wildlife habitat along the lower Colorado River.

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Scenic view of the lower Colorado River with mountains in the background.
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Visitors have an opportunity to connect with nature in multiple ways. The lower Colorado River and its backwaters provide numerous outdoor recreational opportunities as well as a vital resource, water! 

Location and Contact Information

      Our Species

      Migratory birds, resident wildlife, and endangered and threatened species can be found at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge contains backwaters that provide key habitat for wildlife. Because of the river's life sustaining water, wildlife thrives in this environment where temperatures reach 120 degrees in the summer and the average rainfall is two inches per year. 

      Our Library