Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge is a 81,322-acre national wildlife refuge in Churchill County, Nevada, established in 1948, run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex. There is no entrance fee. Camping is allowed.
Check current closures and fire restrictions for Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge on the managing agency's own page.
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge map
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Closures
- Boats prohibited on Swan Lake, the northeast corner of North Nutgrass Lake, and the north end of Pintail Bay; carts, sleds and floating blinds may carry hunting gear there (as of September 27, 2026). Current notice
- Refuge south of Division Road is closed to hunting; a 200-yard retrieval zone north of the road allows no loaded firearms (as of September 27, 2026). Current notice
Fire restrictions
No fire restriction recorded for this unit as of Sept. 30, 2026. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders below before you go.
Nevada Fire Info, BLM Nevada's interagency fire site, keeps the Nevada fire restrictions map and signed orders for every fire zone, and a Nevada fire map of active fires.
Common questions
- No. There is no entrance fee at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge.
- Yes. Camping is allowed on Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, in designated sites only. Year-round in designated areas, including the East Division Road and Center Road camping areas (restrooms).
- Yes. Hunting is allowed on Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge for waterfowl, upland game birds, big game, and small game. No refuge permit is needed beyond the state license and stamps. Where, per the refuge: Only north of Division Road; no hunting south of it. No check station, permit or fee. Seasons, limits and methods are set by the refuge regulation and Nevada Department of Wildlife rules, which change every year: read them before you go.
- No. Fishing is not allowed on Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. 50 CFR 32.47(g) opens the refuge to hunting only; its sport fishing paragraph is reserved.
- Yes. Dogs are allowed on Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge on a leash. Clean up after your pet.
- Yes. The refuge has an auto tour route (6.5 miles).
Hours, fees, and visitor center
There is no entrance fee at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge.
- Refuge Headquarters and Visitor Contact StationOff the refuge, in town.Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.3175 Freeman Lane, Fallon, NV 89406775-423-5128
What visitors do here: wildlife viewing, birding, photography, hiking, an auto tour route, hunting, boating, paddling, camping, horseback riding.
Sources: fws.gov/refuge/stillwater, checked 2026-09-27; fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us, checked 2026-09-27; fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us/activities, checked 2026-09-27.
Auto tour route
- Auto Tour Route6.5 miStarts by Stillwater Point Reservoir and loops around Lower Foxtail Lake; pavilion and Duff's Pond boardwalk about halfway
Source: fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-06/2024-stillwater-nwr_en-ua.pdf, checked 2026-09-27.
Wildlife
- BirdAmerican avocetKey shorebird species at the refuge
- BirdLong-billed dowitcherKey shorebird species at the refuge
- BirdTundra swanWhen: November onwardSwans typically do not arrive until November
- BirdCanvasbackKey waterfowl species at the refuge
- BirdDucksWhen: FallAs many as 100,000 ducks can be on the refuge in the fall
- BirdTeal and pintailWhen: Spring and fall migration
- BirdGreat blue heron
- BirdGreat egret
- MammalMule deer
- MammalCoyote
- MammalMuskrat
- MammalPronghorn
Source: fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/species, checked 2026-09-27.
Hunting
Hunting is allowed on Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge for waterfowl, upland game birds, big game, and small game. No refuge permit is needed beyond the state license and stamps. Where, per the refuge: Only north of Division Road; no hunting south of it. No check station, permit or fee. Seasons, limits and methods are set by the refuge regulation and Nevada Department of Wildlife rules, which change every year: read them before you go.
Hunting rules for Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge
Source: fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us/activities/hunting, checked 2026-09-27.
Fishing and boating
Fishing is not allowed on Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. 50 CFR 32.47(g) opens the refuge to hunting only; its sport fishing paragraph is reserved.
Fishing rules for Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge
Boats are allowed. Boating season: Waterfowl hunting season only, except nonmotorized boating on Swan Check Lake all year. Motors: Outboards only on Lead, Tule, Goose and South Nutgrass lakes and parts of North Nutgrass and Pintail Bay; airboats need a free permit. In season, only in open units north of Division Road. Electric motors count as motors in nonmotorized units. No pre-season scouting by boat.
Sources: ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-32/section-32.47, checked 2026-09-27; fws.gov/story/frequently-asked-questions-stillwater-nwr, checked 2026-09-27.
Camping
Camping is allowed on Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, in designated sites only. Year-round in designated areas, including the East Division Road and Center Road camping areas (restrooms).
Campfires: Campfires are prohibited.
Sources: fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us, checked 2026-09-27; fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us/rules-policies, checked 2026-09-27.
Pets
Dogs are allowed on Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge on a leash. Clean up after your pet.
Source: fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us, checked 2026-09-27.
Trails
- Tule TrailFollows an irrigation canal past two small ponds; photo blind, interpretive panels, benches
- Stillwater Point Reservoir TrailADA accessible; leads to an observation platform through salt desert scrub
- Duff's Pond BoardwalkADA compliant; short walk from the pavilion out into the marsh
- Paiute PathSlight incline to a bench; panels on local Native American culture
- Service roads (on foot)Roads open only to refuge vehicles may be walked by the public
Source: fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us, checked 2026-09-27.
Places on the refuge
- OverlookStillwater Point Reservoir observation platformEnd of an interpretive trail one-half mile east of Hunter Road off East County Road
- Viewing areaAuto tour pavilionAbout halfway round the auto tour route; restrooms
- Viewing areaFoxtail Lake photo blindOne of two photo blinds on the refuge; the other is on the Tule Trail
- Viewing areaTule Trail photo blindAbout halfway along the Tule Trail, on one of its ponds
- MarshHunter Road marshUndeveloped marsh reached by driving north on Hunter Road
- Historic sitePaiute PathPanels on local Native American culture; the Toi-Ticutta (cattail eaters) used the marsh for thousands of years
Source: fws.gov/refuge/stillwater, checked 2026-09-27.
Getting there
- Nearest town: Fallon, 17 miles
- 70 miles from Reno
- Limited cell service
Source: fws.gov/refuge/stillwater, checked 2026-09-27.
Public lands next to Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge
- National wildlife refugeFallon National Wildlife Refuge is 1 mile away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- BLM unitNumunaa Nobe National Conservation Area is 1.3 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Photos
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/stillwater (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/1623 (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/about-us (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us/activities (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us/rules-policies (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/species (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/stillwater/visit-us/activities/hunting (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.fws.gov/story/frequently-asked-questions-stillwater-nwr (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-06/2024-stillwater-nwr_en-ua.pdf (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-32/section-32.47 (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-26/subpart-C/section-26.34 (accessed 2026-09-27)
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Stillwater_National_Wildlife_Refuge (accessed 2026-09-27)