Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge is located in the St. Francis River Valley, which is known as one of the finest wildlife areas in the state. The wildlife value of the valley was severely reduced in the early 1900s, when the area was drained for agriculture. Congress established this 30,600-acre refuge in 1965 with Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp (Duck Stamp) funds. Land acquisition continued for the next decade. Restoration of wetlands was completed in the mid-1980s, and upland restoration is on-going.

With 23 impoundments and numerous natural lakes and wetlands, the refuge provides habitat for a variety of waterfowl, wading/water birds, and bald eagles. White-tailed deer, eastern bluebirds, gopher snakes, and other species associated with oak savanna and prairie habitats benefit from upland management. The refuge is a major greater sandhill crane nesting and staging area.

The flat-to-gently-rolling topography of the refuge lies within the transition zone of two major ecosystems - deciduous hardwood forest and tallgrass prairie. There are approximately 14,000 acres of wetlands and natural lakes, 8,000 acres grassland openings, 8,000 acres of woodlands and oak savanna, and 35 river miles on the St. Francis River.

 

 

 

Driving Directions

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge is located in east central Minnesota, approximately 50 miles northwest of Minneapolis and 30 miles southeast of St. Cloud.

From Minneapolis, take Interstate 94 west to Highway 101 at Rogers. Go north on 101 to Highway 169 north, then follow Highway 169 north four miles past Zimmerman to County Road 9. Go west on County Road 9 four miles to the refuge entrance and one additional mile to the refuge office.

From St. Cloud, take Highway 23 north to Highway 95, then east on Highway 95 approximately 15 miles. After the sign for Sherburne Refuge, take the first right, which is Mille Lacs County Road 7. Go south on County 7 four miles to the refuge entrance then three more miles to County 9. Go east 2.5 miles on County 9 to the refuge office.

For directions from Big Lake, Zimmerman, and Princeton, click here.

 

For Visitors...

The things to do at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge are boating, fishing, hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing.

 

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