Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is a remote refuge located in the high elevation of the Centennial Valley, in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Montana. Adjacent to Gallatin National Forest and near Yellowstone National Park, the refuge is an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Red Rock Lakes is best known for being the primary location for the efforts saving the trumpeter swan from extinction, which by 1932 had fewer than 200 known specimens in the United States and Canada. By the year 2002, an estimated 3,000 trumpeters were wintering on the refuge, many having migrated south from their summer range in Canada. The trumpeters are now so plentiful that efforts are being undertaken to help them reestablish historical migratory routes to areas further south in the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin region. The elegant trumpeter swan is North America's largest waterfowl, with a wingspans of 8 feet and they can weigh up to 30 pounds (13 kg).
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 85,504 acres |
| FWS region | Region 6 |
| Center point | 44.65° N, 111.82° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17) |
Boundary map
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.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 6 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Most refuges do not allow overnight camping. The campgrounds listed are outside the refuge.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 7.5 miSherwood, Joseph, House and Store ↗Island Park, ID
- 11.1 miCrabtree, Glen and Addie, Cabin ↗Island Park, ID
- 12.5 miSpencer Rock House ↗Spencer, ID
- 12.7 miAlbaugh, Eleanor, Cabin ↗Island Park, ID
- 12.9 miHutchins Bridge ↗Cameron, MT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Montana
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Best Backpacking Trips in Montana, Wyoming, and ColoradoMike White and Douglas Lorain, 2019Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
85,504 acres.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in?
Montana.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
The refuge page says whether camping is allowed here. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.646° N, 111.821° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Are there historic places near Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
The National Register has 5 listings within 15 miles, including Sherwood, Joseph, House and Store and Crabtree, Glen and Addie, Cabin.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
- States and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Photograph: the image Wikidata records for this refuge (Q7304916), the item linked to its Wikipedia article. Author and license come from the file page on Wikimedia Commons.
- Description: Red Rock Lakes 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.