National wildlife refuge

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Williamson County, Illinois run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. An entrance fee applies.

Check current closures and fire restrictions for Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge on the managing agency's own page.

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge map

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.

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Fire restrictions

This unit's own agency alerts list no fire restriction as of Oct. 5, 2026. We do not check a statewide fire-order feed for IL, so that is not a statement that no order exists, and not a green light for a fire. Check with the land manager and your county before you light anything.

County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.

Hours, fees, and visitor center

An entrance fee applies at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge; the refuge's fee page lists the current passes.

What visitors do here: wildlife viewing, hiking, hunting, fishing, boating.

Source: fws.gov, checked 2026-10-05.

Wildlife

BirdBald eagle

Getting there

Nearest town: Crainville, 2.5 miles

Source: www2.census.gov, checked 2026-09-30.

Public lands next to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge

Wilderness areaCrab Orchard Wilderness lies inside Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.
State parkCrab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge borders Giant City State Park.
Wilderness areaCrab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge borders Panther Den Wilderness.
National forestCrab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge borders Shawnee National Forest.

Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.

Photos

Photo of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge — FWS Stock Photo, Public domain (US federal government work, 17 U.S.C. 105)

Data source: Recreation.gov

fws.gov (accessed 2026-10-05)
fws.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
recreation.gov (accessed 2026-09-29)
www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)

The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.