Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge is pleased to announce the auto tour route will be open from Monday, August 1st through Tuesday, September 20th, 2022. Visitors are welcome to drive the tour route from sunrise to sunset during those dates. The auto tour route begins at the refuge headquarters and takes visitors along a four and one-half mile drive of wetland, open water, and prairie habitat. Toward the beginning of the tour route, there is an observation platform with two spotting scopes overlooking a large portion of the refuge. A variety of wildlife can be seen along the tour route including trumpeter swan broods, duck broods, great blue herons, sandhill cranes, shorebirds, pelicans, grassland birds, river otters and white-tailed deer. In addition, many wildflowers and warm-season grasses are at peak bloom.
Remember, wildlife is generally most active when temperatures are cooler, therefore the best times to view wildlife are early morning and early evening.
Visitors of all ages are encouraged to come inside the headquarters building and check out the interpretive displays! Indoor exhibits are open to the public Monday-Friday from 7:30am to 4:00pm. Union Slough NWR is located 6 miles east of Bancroft on County Road A-42. For further information, please call (515) 928-2523.
For more information on the Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service visit http://midwest.fws.gov.
