A key to introducing your children to the outdoors is providing them with action scenery. Animal watching is always fun for kids and if you find yourself on Interstate 5 in Northern California, the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge is the premier bird watching venue.
The refuge complex is located off of Interstate 5 near Willows. It is composed of 35000 acres of prime resting and feeding areas for migratory birds on the Pacific flyway. The Sacramento Wildlife Refuge (within the complex) is composed of 10000 acres of marsh and ponds in the Sacramento Valley.
The Center hours are 7:30-4:00 daily from October to March.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a map of the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge that you can download by clicking here.
Tom Stienstra's Oct 22 column at SFgate.com describes a visit to the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge and is a good read prior to departure.
Directions:
From I-5 (between Maxwell and Willows), it takes about five minutes to reach the entrance to the wildlife refuge. Access costs $3 per vehicle, but is free for anybody with a federal duck stamp ($15). The auto tour here starts by tuning your radio to 93.1 FM for a narrative overview of the complex.
About Mike Barlow
The Trailmix.Net Blog is the work of Mike Barlow who blogs about Family Outdoor Recreation, Outdoor Education, and the exploration of National Parks, trails, and other wild places with his children.