The Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge is a large animal and bird sanctuary in northeast Minnesota. It is home to waterfowl, moose, wolf packs and nearly 300 different species of birds. While no camping is allowed on the refuge, visitors can find a variety of nearby campsites to pitch a tent and observe nature and the surrounding wildlife.
Things to Do
Campers can find plenty of locations to catch a variety of fish or hunt for different wildlife. Hunting on the Agassiz Wildlife Refuge is seasonal and must be done in accordance with the hunting laws of Minnesota. Deer hunting typically runs from November to January. The Wildlife Drive and Outdoor Facilities are open daily during late spring, to the middle of fall, usually May through October. Hours are from dawn to dusk.
Location
The refuge and neighboring wildlife management areas are fairly remote; nearby towns that may have supplies include Grygla, 18 miles to the east of the refuge's headquarters; Thief River Falls, 23 miles to the southwest; and Middle River, about 22 miles to the northwest. The refuge headquarters can be reached from Marshall County Road 7; State Highway 89 and Marshall County Highways 6 and 12 also border the refuge.
Wildlife Management Areas
For the safety and preservation of the wildlife, only primitive camping is allowed in the three nearby wildlife management areas. Primitive campsites have no facilities or services. Campers must be prepared to rough it if they want to experience overnight camping in the Elm Lake WMA, the Eckvoll WMA or the Mud Lac WMA. The wildlife management areas enable campers to hunt, fish and watch wildlife from different vantage points.
Other Camping
Visitors who want to camp nearby overnight can also camp at the Thief River Falls Tourist Park. It is located 23 miles southwest of the Agassiz Wildlife Refuge. The site includes unlimited camping for tent campers and 64 sites for RVs, 16 of which have full hook-ups, and the rest of which are electric only. Old Mills State Park offers 26 RV sites as well as a tent group site that can accommodate up to 150 people. The park is located 30 miles west of the Agassiz refuge.
Considerations
Entrance to the wildlife refuge is free, just as overnight camping in the wildlife management areas is free. State parks generally have standard nightly rates, but prices vary during the off-season. Visitors must abide by park rules when camping at state parks. For example, all vehicles must have a valid Minnesota State Park vehicle permit. The permit must be displayed in the lower right-hand corner of the windshield when entering the park.
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