Springville, Tenn.–Oh, what a wonderful time to shake those winter blues and come visit your local national wildlife refuge as the seasonally closed roads and bays at Tennessee and Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) re-open on Saturday, March 16th. These areas have been closed during the winter season to lessen disturbance to overwintering waterfowl at both refuge locations.
All National Wildlife Refuges are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Cross Creeks NWR is roughly 9,000 acres stretching along 11 miles of the Cumberland River in Stewart County. Tennessee NWR is 51,000 acres along 65 miles of the Tennessee River and encompasses Henry, Benton, Humphreys and Decatur counties.
If you are a birder or simply an outdoors enthusiast, there are many opportunities available at both refuges. At Cross Creeks NWR, wildlife can be viewed at the refuge office, just out the back door on their observation deck or along a long, winding wildlife drive that follows alongside the Cumberland River. To find this area with your GPS, use the address 643 Wildlife Road in Dover, TN.
On Tennessee NWR, the refuge Visitor Center is located at 1371 Wildlife Refuge in Springville, TN. The Visitor Center is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 to 4:00 pm. Admission is free and groups can request special programs. The center is also a great place for ranger led field trips for students of all ages. The refuge offers bus transportation grants to defray the cost of field trips to the refuge.
Off the back patio of the Visitor Center is a great place to view wildlife. Just adjacent to the visitor center is a pollinator demonstration garden. The V.L. Childs Observation Deck is located only one mile from the visitor center and is a favorite place to view wildlife anytime of the year.
For those that love hiking, there are two trails close to the visitor center. The Nature Discovery Trail is an easy, half-mile hike which gives access to the Kentucky Lake shoreline. It is home to several children’s activity stations called “Animal Olympics”, where kids can learn about wildlife while getting a bit of extra exercise. Also located near the visitor center is the Britton Ford hiking trail which leads visitors through a 2.5-mile loop through a forested area of the refuge. Along this trail are several wooden benches so hikers can take breaks while also soaking in the serenity.
Springtime, when the crappie start biting is a great time to go fishing on the refuge. Fishermen are encouraged to pick up a fishing regulations brochure available online at www.fws.gov/refuge/Tennessee or www.fws.gov/refuge/Cross_Creeks. Brochures are also readily available at information kiosks located on both refuges; kiosks can be found at the V.L. Childs Observation Deck; the main entrance to the Duck River Bottoms area; and the main entrance to the Busseltown Unit; or in local area bait and tackle stores.
This brochure has information about the use of the refuge for fishing along with maps that show the locations of boat ramps and water control structures. It is also a great resource for those that like to canoe or kayak on the refuge’s waterways. Both sites offer peaceful opportunities for paddling or kayak fishing.
At Tennessee NWR, south of New Johnsonville, the Blue Goose Boulevard Wildlife Drive just off Refuge Lane in the Duck River Bottoms will be a phenomenal show once sanctuary ends on Saturday. This 2-mile wildlife observation drive features a green tree reservoir, flooded fields and mud flats that attract a wide number of birds. Near the wildlife drive, a hidden blind called Pintail Point Observation Deck is accessible just off of Haul Road providing a great photography blind opportunity. To find this area with your GPS, use the address 550 Refuge Lane in New Johnsonville.
On the Big Sandy Peninsula, just north of the town of Big Sandy, the Bennett’s Creek Observation Deck is fully accessible. This 120-foot boardwalk leading to a raised observation deck overlooks a bay of Kentucky Lake and two flooded impoundments. Sitting on this deck while listening to the cheerful chatter of ducks offers a peaceful moment that’s hard to beat. Nearby the deck is the 1.1-mile-long Chickasaw National Recreation Trail, which doubles as a great spot to view a diversity of habitats, see the ruins of an old grist mill and walk through the remains of a homestead site that once thrived long ago.
Even though a good number of waterfowl have left us and are heading north, there are still plenty of birds coming through to experience as spring migration rolls around. Hot on the waterfowl’s heels, our summer migratory birds will soon arrive to make their debut. This will include shorebirds and neo-tropical migratory songbirds such as the indigo bunting, prothonotary warbler, white-eyed vireos, orchard orioles, yellow-billed cuckoos and wood thrushes. The colors, sounds and smells are well worth the trip to your local national wildlife refuge.
The refuge manager invites the public to take pleasure in the refuge but remember to obey all regulations and help keep it a safe and litter-free place for all to enjoy. For more information about where to visit, call 731-642-2091.