About Us

Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1968 to protect and manage habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. Located seven miles south of Montpelier, the refuge encompasses 18,000 acres of cattail marsh, open water, and flooded meadows that are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge provides valuable habitat for waterfowl and colonial nesting water birds. Portions of the refuge include scattered grasslands and brush-covered mountain slopes. 

Our Mission

The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Every national wildlife refuge was created for a special purpose. Some were created to protect migratory birds, others to protect threatened or endangered species or unique habitats, while others fulfill another special purpose. All activities allowed on refuges must be evaluated to make sure each activity will not conflict with the reason the refuge was founded.

The purpose of the Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge is to serve as an inviolate sanctuary for migratory birds and for the development, advancement, management, conservation, and protection of fish and wildlife resources.

Our History

Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1968, is located within Bear Lake County, near the community of Montpelier, Idaho. The 18,169-acre Refuge lies in Bear Lake Valley at an elevation of 5,925 feet and occupies a portion of the historic Dingle Swamp along the Bear River and north of Bear Lake.