USFWS · National wildlife refuge · Wyoming

Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in southern Albany County in the U.S. state of Wyoming and includes 1,776 acres (7.2 km2). The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior. Mortensen Lake NWR is a high altitude refuge and has several small alpine lakes of which Mortenson Lake is the largest. At 7,256 feet (2,211 m) above sea level, the refuge provides protection for numerous migratory bird species.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

National Wildlife Refuge2,554 acresUSFWSWY17 campgrounds within 10 mi
Official page at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationNational Wildlife Refuge
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateWyoming
Size2,554 acres (computed from the boundary polygon)
FWS regionRegion 6
Center point41.2123, -105.7978
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 25)

Boundary map

3 outlines

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 17 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · 9.4 mi
Aspen Campground
Reservable7 sites
FS · 9.4 mi
Bottle Creek Campground
Reservable12 sites
FS · 9.4 mi
Bow River Campground
Reservable13 sites
FS · 9.4 mi
Deep Creek Campground, Medicine Bow-Routt
Reservable47 sites
FS · 9.4 mi
Hidden Lakes Campground
Reservable9 sites
FS · 9.4 mi
Jack Creek Campground
Reservable16 sites
FS · 9.4 mi
Lake Owen
Reservable39 sites
FS · 9.4 mi
Lincoln Park Campground
Reservable12 sites
Show 4 more

5 more within ten miles are not listed here.

Most refuges do not allow overnight camping. The campgrounds listed are outside the refuge.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 16 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

2,554 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.

Source: How acreage is computed

Who manages Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

What state is Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge in?

Wyoming.

Source: How states are assigned

Can I camp at Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Aspen Campground, 9.4 miles out. 17 in all are within ten miles. Most refuges do not allow camping inside the refuge, so the campgrounds listed are outside it.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

A point inside the boundary is at 41.212, -105.798. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

How dark is the night sky at Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 25 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

16 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Wyoming Territorial Penitentiary and Snow Train Rolling Stock.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
  • States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
  • Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
  • Description: Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.