Muscatatuck Wildlife Refuge

Contact: muscatatuck@fws.gov
Phone: 812-522-4352

Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge is located in south central Indiana. The refuge takes its name from the Muscatatuck River, which forms the southern boundary. The "land of winding waters" is a pocket of wetland habitat where the river, flood-prone creeks, and small natural springs attracted wildlife and native Americans long before white settlers arrived. Most of the dense hardwood and bottomland forest that originally carpeted the land was cleared by settlers, who attempted to farm the wet ground. Fortunately for wildlife, most of the attempts to drain the area were not successful. In 1966, Muscatatuck Refuge was established using money obtained from the sale of Federal Miratory Waterfowl Stamps, commonly known as Duck Stamps.

The refuge is a very scenic and accessible mix of hardwood forest, wetlands, brush-land reverting to forest, cropland, and grassland habitat. Today, Muscatatuck includes 7,724 acres near Seymour and a 78-acre parcel, known as the Restle Unit, near Bloomington. Nine miles of refuge roads that are open sunrise to sunset seven days/week attract approximately 185,000 visitors to the refuge each year. Wildlife-viewing opportunities are excellent at Muscatatuck, and the refuge is known as an exceptionally fine bird watching site.

Directions

The refuge is located in south-central Indiana on U.S. Highway 50, just three miles east of the I-65/U.S. 50 interchange at Seymour, IN. Muscatatuck is approximately an hour's drive from Louisville, Kentucky, and Indianapolis, Indiana, and is approximately 86 miles from Cincinnati, Ohio. The main entrance on U.S. Highway 50 is marked with large brown signs.

More info at http://midwest.fws.gov/muscatatuck