Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Complex

09/18/2026

We still have a few extra spaces available for the Nature Sketching Workshop on the 26th. Call 256-350-6639 to reserve your spot!

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by joining our Nature Sketching workshop on Saturday, September 26 from 9:30-11:00 AM at the Wheeler NWR Visitor Center.

Enjoy a brief, mindful walk through nature and take a moment to sketch your surroundings. Supplies and instruction will be provided. Recommended for ages 12 and older.

This is a free event with limited availability, so please register by calling 256-350-6639.

08/30/2026

Starting Monday, August 31, an 8-inch pump hose will be laid across Eagle Nest Island Road as part of ongoing improvements to Bibb ditch. Bicycle users should be alert for this obstacle and be prepared to dismount and carry your bicycle over the pipe.

Dump trucks will be traveling Arrowhead Landing Road and Eagle Nest Island Road delivering rock. Please use extreme caution if hiking or bicycling these roads.

08/29/2026

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by joining our Nature Sketching workshop on Saturday, September 26 from 9:30-11:00 AM at the Wheeler NWR Visitor Center.

Enjoy a brief, mindful walk through nature and take a moment to sketch your surroundings. Supplies and instruction will be provided. Recommended for ages 12 and older.

This is a free event with limited availability, so please register by calling 256-350-6639.

08/28/2026

This is the season for winter job opportunities on the refuge. Our friends at the International Crane Foundation are accepting applications for an Outreach Program Assistant in Alabama for this coming fall and winter season! See below to learn more and apply.

We are hiring! We are reopening our search for a talented individual to join our flock as the Outreach Program Assistant in Alabama (housing provided). This limited-term employment position is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact for crane conservation.

👉🏽 Learn more and apply at savingcranes.org/careers

📸 George Lee

08/27/2026

Job Opportunity! Come work with us!

The refuge is accepting applications for a winter seasonal Park Ranger (Visitor Services Specialist)! This position will be a key part of the Visitor Services team during our busy winter season, working alongside refuge staff and volunteers to help operate our visitor center, assist with outreach and programming, and help to provide inspiring high-quality visitor experiences.

Applications due September 4, 2026:

If you live within 75 miles of 3121 Visitor Center Rd, Decatur, AL apply here:
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/882214300

If you live more than 75 miles from 3121 Visitor Center Rd, Decatur, AL apply here: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/882272500

08/03/2026

Join us from 10:00-11:00 on Tuesday, August 4 at the refuge visitor center for a brief presentation about the owls of Alabama and then make your own owl to take home!

07/22/2026

Calling all families! Join us on Tuesday, August 4 at 10:00 AM at the Wheeler NWR Visitor Center to celebrate International Owl Awareness Day! We'll learn a little about the owls that call Alabama home and do some crafting to build your own owl to take home!

07/08/2026

The International Crane Foundation is accepting applications for a seasonal Outreach Program Assistant who would take a leading role in ICF's Whooping Crane outreach program in Alabama this coming fall and winter.

For more information and to apply, visit:
https://savingcranes.org/careers/

07/02/2026

In observance of the Independence Day Holiday, the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and Wildlife Observation Building will be closed on Friday, July 3.

The Visitor Center buildings will be back open on Saturday, July 4 from 9:00-4:00.

While enjoying the refuge, stay hydrated and be aware that summer thunderstorms can develop unexpectedly while you're out on the trail.

05/20/2026

NEW SEASONAL WATERFOWL SANCTUARY: We’re pleased to share that Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in Decatur, Alabama will be creating a 335-acre waterfowl sanctuary starting November 15, 2026 through February 28, 2027. This seasonal sanctuary is designed to give wintering waterfowl a peaceful, protected space during one of the most important times of the year. By reducing human disturbance, we’re helping these birds thrive and making your visits even more rewarding for photography, wildlife viewing, and nature appreciation. While a one-mile stretch of road through the Buckeye-Thorsen Arm Unit between HGH Road and JTT Road will be seasonally closed to all public entry, bikers and hikers still have access around the north side of the impoundment, including 20 miles of roads and trails in the surrounding area and 70 miles throughout Wheeler NWR.

More information about the new waterfowl sanctuary will be forthcoming in the 2026-2027 Wheeler NWR Hunting Regulations & Permit, our general regulations brochure, and on the Wheeler NWR website. (All of these documents we anticipate being updated and available by late July).

If you have any questions, we’re happy to help. Just email us at [email protected]. We appreciate your support and look forward to making your experience better!