kids encyclopedia robot

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
UpperMississippiRiverNationalWildlifeFishRefugePanorama.jpg
Looking west over the Mississippi River from an overlook within the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is located in the United States
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Location in the United States
Location Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, United States
Nearest city Dubuque, Iowa
Area 240,000 acres (970 km2)
Established 1924
Governing body U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Official name: Upper Mississippi River Floodplain Wetlands
Designated: 1 May 2010
Reference #: 1901

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is a huge protected area. It covers about 240,000 acres (which is about 970 square kilometers) along the Mississippi River. This special place stretches for 261 miles (about 420 kilometers). It runs from Wabasha, Minnesota in the north all the way to Rock Island, Illinois in the south.

Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge Map
Map of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

Part of this refuge is in a unique area called the Driftless Area. This region is special because it was not covered by ice during the last big ice age. This means it has different landscapes compared to nearby areas. Some parts of the refuge were later moved to another protected area called the Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge.

This refuge is a very important stop along the Mississippi Flyway. This is like a superhighway in the sky for birds! Many birds use this route when they migrate. The refuge has lots of wooded islands, quiet water channels called sloughs, and forests filled with hardwood trees. You can find amazing wildlife here, like the canvasback duck, tundra swan, white-tailed deer, and muskrat. People can also enjoy fun activities like boating, hunting, fishing, and swimming.

The main office for the refuge is in Winona, Minnesota. There are also smaller offices in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and Thomson, Illinois.

Exploring the Refuge's Location

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is one of only two refuges in the United States that covers parts of four different states! These states are Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois. This makes it a truly unique and widespread natural area.

Counties and Waterways in Minnesota

In Minnesota, the refuge touches these counties from north to south:

Counties in Wisconsin

Paddling the Mississippi River (6972322139)
Paddling the Mississippi River is a popular activity in the refuge.
UpperMississippiRiverNationalWildlifeFishRefugeSign
A sign welcoming visitors to the refuge.

The refuge also includes parts of these Wisconsin counties:

Counties in Iowa

Moving south, the refuge stretches into these Iowa counties:

Counties in Illinois

Finally, the refuge reaches these counties in Illinois:

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.