Habitat: 6800 acres of Bottomland Hardwood Forest, Marsh, Open Water, Native and Restored Grassland, and Oak Savannah. The refuge is bordered by the Mississippi River to the South and the Trempealeau River winds through the North.
Best Birds: Explore the Prairie’s Edge Tour Loop through the rolling sand prairie and oak savannah for Black-billed and Yellow Billed Cuckoo, Red-headed Woodpecker, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Henslow’s, Grasshopper, Lark and Field Sparrow, and Orchard Oriole. This is also good habitat for American Woodcock, Northern Harrier, and Short-eared Owl.
The forested sloughs hold Hooded Merganser, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Barred and Great-horned Owl, Yellow-throated Vireo, Prothonotary Warbler, and Rusty Blackbird (migration).
The Observation Deck near the Visitor Center is an excellent vantage point for waterfowl during migration, including Tundra and Trumpeter Swan, Canvasback, Black and Forster’s Tern, American White Pelican, cormorants, and egrets and herons. The Pine Creek Dike Trail weaves from the observation deck through the woods onto a long dike, where Sandhill Crane, King, Sora and Virginia Rail, Swamp Sparrow, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and migrant passerines may be found.
Keip’s island is a great place to see Scarlet Tanagers, Orchard Orioles, and other woodland species. Kiep’s Island Dike has some of the best shorebird habitat in the park, especially in July and August when the birds are beginning to return south. During the peak of the tern migration, the number of terns flying in this area is amazing. Most will be Black Tern, but Forster’s, Common, and Caspian Tern are also regularly seen here.
The southeastern section of the main loop road passes through more good habitat for Ring-necked Pheasant, Grasshopper, Henslow’s, and Lark Sparrow, and Eastern Meadowlark. Be on the lookout for Bell’s Vireo.
Directions 34 miles NW of La Crosse, 5.5 miles Southwest of the town of Centerville, WI and 6 miles northwest of the town of Trempealeau. From Hwy 35 take West Prairie Road to Refuge Road to the visitor center parking (44.045220, -91.535429). The Pine Creek Dike Trail is located southwest of the Visitor Center, and the Nature Trail loop is located northwest of the Visitor Center. Following the road SE from the Visitor Center leads to a parking lot (44.04247, -91.52598). Continuing on foot into the woods past the lot you will reach a canoe landing. The foot trail that leads away S from the canoe landing winds out onto Kiep’s Island Dike. The Great River State Park Trail cuts through the northeastern section of the refuge.
Address and additional info
W28488 Refuge Rd, Trempealeau, WI 54661
Home - Trempealeau - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (fws.gov)
Stephanie Edeler & Brandon Raymond
