Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge

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Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge Visit our official website: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/port-louisa Welcome

This is an official page of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To learn more about our social media efforts, and to find a list of official USFWS social media sites, please visit our social media hub:http://www.fws.gov/home/socialmedia/

Our agency is known for our scientific excellence, our stewardship of lands and natural resources, and our dedicated conservation and wildlife professionals. While we hope that this page will help you stay connected to our work, we also hope that it will keep us connected to you and the issues you care about. Your participation on this page is vital and all feedback is welcome--both good and bad. Your perspective is welcomed and we hope that conversations about the Service can be productive, fun, and engaging.

10/26/2026

Despite a long string of mild weather days, many northern pintail and other ducks have made their way down to southeast Iowa. Here, you can see them settling in for the day on a flooded moist-soil unit on the Louisa Division.

Video: Northern pintail and other waterfowl flying in from behind the camera before landing and swimming in a shallow wetland.

10/24/2026

The Friends of Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge will be hosting a bus tour this fall. Bus tours give visitors the ability to view the 5.5-mile tour loop on the Louisa Division during closed migration periods. Follow the link for information and signup details.

10/19/2026

UPDATE: The Big Timber Access will now be closed for the remainder of the week. Work will be completed on the parking area and boat launch area during this closure.

10/16/2026

NOTICE: The Big Timber Access will remain open over the weekend. Work on the parking lot resumed this week, but it will pause for the weekend. Both the parking area and boat ramp can still be used. Please be respectful of construction equipment belonging to the contractor and other boat trailers.

10/12/2026
09/28/2026

UPDATE: River levels have recovered and the Big Timber access is open

09/22/2026

Notice: The Big Timber access has been temporarily closed due to rising river levels.

08/25/2026

Notice: The Big Timber Access will be closed for work until tomorrow morning. The boat ramp will then remain open for a few weeks until it will be temporarily closed again for improvements to the parking lot.

05/22/2026

(202/250) The northern water snake is a nonvenomous reptile found near freshwater across much of eastern and central North America. As temperatures rise, they emerge from winter denning sites to find mates. In late summer, females will give birth to live litters of 20-25 young.



Photo by Erin Huggins/USFWS

UPDATE: The Louisa boat ramp remains under repair, and the inlet is now open. If you visit the refuge to fish the inlet,...
05/22/2026

UPDATE: The Louisa boat ramp remains under repair, and the inlet is now open. If you visit the refuge to fish the inlet, please give contractors working on the boat ramp plenty of space and avoid parking near the work area.

NOTICE: The Louisa Access boat ramp will be closed for 1-2 weeks for repairs. The parking lot will remain open. If you choose to park here for birding, fishing or other activities, then please give the contractors working on the boat ramp plenty of space.

Address

10728 CR-X 61
Wapello, IA
52653

Opening Hours

Tuesday 7:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4pm
Friday 7:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+13195236982

Website

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