USFWS · National wildlife refuge · Montana

Swan River National Wildlife Refuge

Swan River National Wildlife Refuge is a 1,778-acre (720 ha) National Wildlife Refuge in Lake County of northwestern Montana. It is a unit of the National Bison Range Complex.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Official page at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
DesignationNational Wildlife Refuge
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateMontana
Size1,937 acres (computed from the boundary polygon)
FWS regionRegion 6
Center point47.9039, -113.8575
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9)

Boundary map

2 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. 3 are within ten miles of it. 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.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Prescribed
    Sb Horse Ridge Rx

    15 mi from the center point

  • Prescribed
    Sb Silver Mule Rx

    16 mi from the center point

  • Wildfire
    Silvertip

    27 mi from the center point · 7,280 acres · 99% contained

  • Prescribed
    Bison Range Br2F Rx

    42 mi from the center point

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 2 in all · Register Atlas

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

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Swan River National Wildlife Refuge?

1,937 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 Swan River National Wildlife Refuge?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

What state is Swan River National Wildlife Refuge in?

Montana.

Source: How states are assigned

Can I camp at Swan River National Wildlife Refuge?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Swan Guard Station, 0.2 miles out. 3 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 Swan River National Wildlife Refuge?

A point inside the boundary is at 47.904, -113.858. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Is there a fire near Swan River National Wildlife Refuge right now?

4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Sb Horse Ridge Rx at 15 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Swan River National Wildlife Refuge?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 9 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Swan River National Wildlife Refuge?

2 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Swan River Bridge and Swan River Community Hall.

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: Swan River 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.