wheeler national wildlife refuge

What's not to like looking out over beautiful land and seeing wildlife. A nice scenic area and lovely to just rest and see or bring a picnic.

There are large areas of mud flats and fields right along the highway and near the visitors center in Decatur, Alabama. December is peak for observing hundreds of birds. We'll return!

My Dad is an avid bird watcher, so when we were in the area for our family's Thanksgiving, he wanted to go check out the cranes. My husband and I thought why not go check it out too? There's an observation deck where you can watch the birds, but "observation deck" might be the understatement of the month. It's a completely finished two story building complete with a speaker system that broadcasts the sounds from across the marsh. Since it was November and there was a chill in the air, the observation deck was warm and welcoming, and the sound system was an awesome touch to hear the bird calls. There are permanent binocular stands and tiered bench seating on one glass side of the first floor, an open glass area on another side, and a quant view of a pond on the third side. If you go up the stairs to the second floor, you can overlook the marsh and get a better view from those binoculars. A ranger was present and talked to the enthusiasts who where coming and going, getting pictures of the birds. There were hundreds of sandhill cranes, I've never seen so many in one place! It was incredible! Not only that, but there were also two whooping cranes who settled in among the grey cranes.There's also a nature center at the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge that was a great walk through, plus it was water fountains, bathrooms, and conference rooms. It was a nice stop on our back to the car to read about the other local wildlife the ranger didn't talk about at the observation deck. We moved to another area trying to find pelicans, which the ranger said they've spotted a few, but didn't end up finding any. We did see some egrets and got to watch sandhill cranes flock by the dozens across the highway to nest for the evening. All in all, loved it, and it was totally free! Good photo opportunities and nice chance to read up on the local ecology.

The snow was still on the ground and the birds were plentiful. It is a lively place to visit in the winter.

We stayed two days in the RV campground which has many nice sites. Most all of them are fairly level and shaded by tall trees. There are some hiking trails that are nice for exercise and bird watching. Nice golf course, lodge, cabins, marina, and a couple of boat ramps for putting your boat in the water. Very relaxing place. Good for a getaway whether you want to stay in a motel-like room, a nice cabin on the lake, RV campground, or primitive campground.

A great place for a quiet nature walk. There's lots of wildlife. Deer, rabbits, birds, etc... There is a lodge with a great restaurant. Fishing, too.

Visitor Center is a mile or so east of US 31 (Decatur's 6th Avenue).Or, from I 65 it is a couple of miles west from exit 334 (Priceville).US 67 is a very busy highway. Consider approaching this visitor center from the west, and departing it to the east, if you are not a very patient, confident driver.There is a center turn lane, but no traffic light.The visitor center sign is on the south side of US 67.Migrating geese, ducks, cranes, et al stop here. Especially September thru new year's, with a peak between Christmas and New Year's. Then you can see thousands of birds.We came in April. We didn't see many birds, but the place wasn't crowded with people.This attraction is free!There are more trails and things than are obvious, so tell the lady at the counter what you're looking for.You might also ask what is across the highway, as it appears there may be more to see there.

Wheeler NWR is a special place, particularly in migration and in winter. Sandhill Cranes winter here, as well as a wide variety of waterfowl. There is marshland and deep water.Trails give good access to woods. A short trail from the visitor center takes you to a multi-level observation building with built in scopes to help you see the geese, ducks, gulls, cranes, and songbirds coming to the well-stocked feeders.There are many ways to explore this area: sitting and watching the feeders at the visitor center, driving through the area, walking trails or and levees. Plan several hours to enjoy it.

Located along the TN River and floodplains in Decatur, these stretches of marshlands are home to many species of water birds and fish. Get specific info regarding parking as the area is extensive and is bisected by a major road into town. One minute you're in a busy town, and the next, you're in an entirely natural world, feeling miles away from civilization.

Wheeler Refuge is a "stopover" for several kinds of migrating birds. There are trails and an observation building. Fun to see large numbers of geese at once. Good, but small museum in the visitor center. Visitor center also offer talks to school and scout groups. A gem in our local community.