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Laws and Regulations

Updated October 7, 2026

Rules, Regulations, Passes and Permits

On this page you can information about Sacramento NWR Complex Rules and Regulations, including:

Click on one of the topics ABOVE or to the RIGHT to jump to that section of this page.

All areas of the Sacramento NWR are closed to public entry unless otherwise explicitly posted as a visitor center, auto tour route, nature trail, hunting area, or parking area. Some areas are closed seasonally and are posted as such. Thank you for respecting closed areas that benefit wildlife and the safety of the general public!

Rules and Policies

Visitors to National Wildlife Refuges must comply with all applicable local, State, and Federal regulations and signs. All areas of the Sacramento NWR are closed to public entry unless otherwise explicitly posted as an auto tour route, nature trail, hunting area, or parking area. Some areas are closed seasonally and are posted as such.

Auto Tours, Trails and Bicycling

For information about the dos and don'ts of Auto Tours, Trails and Bicycling, visit our Auto Tours and Trails page.

Hunting

Hunting is allowed in designated areas of Sacramento NWR, Delevan NWR, Colusa NWR, Sutter NWR, and Sacramento River NWR with appropriate licenses and permits. Please see our Sacramento NWR Complex Hunting and Sacramento River NWR Hunting pages for more information.

Fishing

Fishing is only permitted on Packer Lake (Sacramento River NWR) and on the Sacramento River. Follow state regulations.

Closed Zones

National Wildlife Refuges were created for wildlife. Areas throughout the refuge are designated as closed or restricted-use areas to protect wildlife or for public safety. Please read and adhere to the regulations identified by signs.

OPEN: Areas open to public use will be posted as such. Road entrances to public use areas have a large brown refuge sign, open gate, and posted hours. Areas open to the public include designated Auto Tour Routes, Nature Trails, and Parking Lots. Areas open to the public are listed on the refuge public use maps, available on the Maps, Directions & Brochures page. Public use areas are Day Use Only.
CLOSED: Areas closed to the public include all property that is not explicitly posted as an area open to the public. Closed area boundaries are posted along accessible areas with signs that may list the following: “UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY PROHIBITED”; “AREA BEYOND THIS SIGN CLOSED All public entry prohibited.” Visitors must stay out of posted closed areas. Visitors that enter posted closed areas are trespassing and are subject to law enforcement action including citations.

Dogs/Pets

Dogs are allowed where visitors are allowed. Dogs must be on-leash (no more than 6 feet long) while on trails or parking lots, except for authorized hunting activities under the immediate control of a licensed hunter. Owners/handlers are responsible for picking up and disposing of dog droppings on trails and in parking lots. National Wildlife Refuges provide habitat for native wildlife. Pets (including waterfowl) are not allowed to be released on the refuge.

Camping and Fires

Camping is not permitted on the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, with the exception of the following:

On the Sacramento River, camping is permitted on gravel bars for up to 7 days during a 30 day period
For waterfowl hunting, an overnight stay is permitted inside a vehicle or RV in designated areas; tents are prohibited. No person may build or maintain fires except for the use of portable gas stoves on Sacramento River gravel bars and in Hunter Check Station parking lots.

Summary of Permitted Activities

Use of posted Auto Tour Routes (Sacramento NWR, Colusa NWR)
Use of posted Nature Trails (Sacramento NWR, Colusa NWR, Sutter NWR, Sacramento River NWR, Llano Seco Unit)
Use of posted Hunt Areas within approved hunting season (Sacramento NWR, Delevan NWR, Colusa NWR, Sutter NWR, Sacramento River NWR) - see the Hunting Rules and Regulations section on our Hunting page
Use of posted Parking Lots
Pets on leash when outside vehicle
Day use only
Bicycling only in designated areas (see the Bicycling section of our Auto Tours and Trails page) May 15 - August 15
Special Activities, ONLY by pre-approved Special Use Permits (see Special Use Permits section, below): research activities, commercial activities (filming, photography, guided tours), large wildlife-oriented events (birding, wildlife watching, festivals)

Summary of Prohibited Activities

All areas of the refuges are closed to public entry unless explicitly posted as a public-use area. Visitors must comply with all posted rules and regulations, in addition to what is listed below. Except where otherwise permitted/posted:

No trespassing in posted closed areas
No entry behind closed gates or fences
No night use
No large private events (weddings, memorials, parties, sporting events)
No travel off of designated public use road or trail
No parking outside of designated parking lots
No pedestrian travel on Auto Tour Routes (except at Park-and-Stretch areas)
No standing through sunroof, hanging from windows, sitting in truck bed in a moving vehicle
No pets off leash when outside of vehicles
No dog field trials or dog training that involves being off-leash
No abandonment of wild or domestic animals
No horseback riding
No camping
No fires or open flame cooking grills
No weapons (except shotguns used during lawful hunting activities as authorized by permit)
No discharge of firearms (except during lawful hunting activities as authorized by permit)
No take, disturbance or collection of wildlife or plants
No search for, or removal of, objects of antiquity or other valued objects
No prospecting or mining
No littering
No removal of any property from refuge
No feeding wildlife
No spotlighting
No interference with persons engaged in authorized activities
No alcohol or illegal drugs, including marijuana
No use or overflight of drones

Passes and Permits

What types of passes/permits, if any, are required for refuge entrance?

Entrance Pass = only required for the Sacramento NWR Auto Tour. Any of the following are valid as an Entrance Pass for the Auto Tour at Sacramento NWR (see table, below for purchasing information):
1. Sacramento NWR 1-day Pass
2. Sacramento NWR Annual Pass
3. Sacramento NWR Commercial Vehicle Pass (buses and commercial vendors)
4. Current Federal Duck Stamp
5. Current America the Beautiful Pass
Hunt Area Type-A Pass = required for hunting areas on Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa and Sutter NWRs. Review hunting-specific pass and license information on our Hunting Page.
Special Use Permit = required for commercial photography use, scientific research, and access to closed areas. More information can be found in the Special Use Permits section, below.
Fee-Free = all areas or conditions not described in Numbers 1-3 above are Fee-Free.

Purchasing the Right Pass for You

Any of the following passes will grant you entrance to the Sacramento NWR Auto Tour. Based on your needs, review the following information about the best pass for you:

How to Purchase the Right Pass (all passes below grant entrance to Sacramento NWR Auto Tour)
Type of Pass	Cost:	How to purchase this pass:	Additional Information:
Sacramento NWR Auto Tour 1-day Pass, Annual Pass, Commercial Vehicle Pass	1-Day Pass: $6 Annual Pass: $12 Commercial vehicle: $20	Directly from Recreation.gov . Pass purchases are digital.	Sacramento NWR collects a day-use fee to help pay for visitor facilities. 100% of these fees stay on the Complex and are used for educational programs, sign improvements, kiosks, platforms and other visitor facilities.
Federal Duck Stamp	Federal Duck Stamp: $25	A) Online for a physical or E-Stamp: Amplex via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. B) A traditional, physical Federal Duck Stamp can be purchased at most U.S. Post Offices and a variety of sporting goods and outdoor recreation stores. As of October 1, 2025, Sacramento NWRC is no longer selling Federal Duck Stamps in person or via online purchases.	"Federal Duck Stamps are conservation revenue stamps; 98 percent of the purchase price goes directly to help acquire and protect wetland habitat and purchase conservation easements. Since 1934, over $1.1 billion dollars have been raised from sales of Federal Duck Stamps conserving over 6 million acres of land within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Wetlands acquired with Duck Stamp dollars help purify water, aid in flood control, reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities." -Federal Duck Stamp Program.
Annual or Lifetime America the Beautiful National Parks or Federal Recreational Lands Pass	Cost varies from $0-$80 based on type of pass (Military, Volunteer, Senior, Annual, etc.)	A) America the Beautiful Annual Passes are available digitally for purchase on Recreation.gov, starting October 1, 2025. Additional passes will be going digital in 2026! B) Limited quantities of free passes only (Gold Star & Veteran, Access) are available when our Visitor Center is open. C) If you would like an interagency pass mailed to you before your trip, please visit the USGS Online Store to explore and select your pass options. Please consider the start date of your trip and factor in a minimum of 3 weeks to allow for processing and shipment of the pass. As of October 1, 2025, Sacramento NWRC is no longer selling physical passes (except for free passes, while supplies last).	"America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes are a suite of annual and lifetime passes that provides U.S. citizens and visitors an affordable and convenient way to access Federal recreational lands. Up to 100% of the Pass program's proceeds are used to improve and enhance visitor recreation services." -US Geological Survey Store

Special Use Permits

Special Use Permits enable the public to engage in legitimate wildlife-related activities that would otherwise be prohibited by law. Service permit programs ensure that such activities are carried out in a manner that safeguards wildlife. Additionally, some permits promote conservation efforts by authorizing scientific research, generating data, or allowing wildlife management and rehabilitation activities to be considered.

Visit the National Wildlife Refuge System website for Special Use Permit Applications

Examples of activities that require a Special Use Permit, if deemed compatible with the USFWS Mission and the Refuge Purpose and approved by the refuge manager, could include:

Commercial filming (audio, video, photographic products of monetary value)
Commercial guided tours/trips for hunting, fishing, bird watching, photography or other outdoor activities
Research and monitoring activities by students, universities, or other non-FWS organizations
Large wildlife-oriented organized events (birding, wildlife watching, festivals).
Activities not allowed at the Sacramento NWR Complex: Private events such as weddings, memorials and parties.

For more information contact: sacramentovalleyrefuges@fws.gov or 530-934-2801

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