Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge, Idaho

Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge is centered around Lake Walcott in the Snake River Plain, about 12 miles northeast of the town of Rupert. The refuge stretches about 25 miles upstream from Minidoka Dam with maybe 80 miles of shoreline around the lake, encompassing some 20,699 acres. About half the property is open water and wetlands, the other half is low, rolling uplands with scattered outcroppings of basalt among sagebrush, native grasses and small stands of juniper. The wetlands has a lot of bulrush marsh and cattail habitat around the bays of the lake. Almost rimming the whole shoreline are stands of cottonwood, willows and other trees. This is a large refuge that can see upwards of 100,000 birds in the late summer and early fall migration season along the Pacific Flyway. Among the regular visitors to Minidoka: mallards, Canada geese, redhead, pintails, wigeons and gadwalls. A lot of these birds come to Lake Walcott to molt in July, August and September.

There are nesting colonies of Clark's and western grebe, great blue heron, double-crested cormorant, black-crowned night heron, snowy egret, California gull, American white pelican and the odd cattle egret or great egret. During season, a lot of nesting areas at Minidoka NWR are closed to the public so as not to disturb nesting birds.

The Utah valvata, an endangered snail, lives in the reservoir. You might also find a species of special concern, the Idaho dunes tiger beetle, hanging out in the refuge sand dunes area. This is a semi-arid climate with most of its precipitation arriving as snow. Summers are hot and dry with a thunderstorm season and heavy rains. Winters aren't too cold but they tend to be windy. Elevation: 4,200'.

Construction of Minidoka Dam on the Snake River began in 1904. The main reason for building the dam was to provide water for irrgation purposes and to provide hydroelectric power for the area. While the reservoir was still filling, the area began attracting large numbers of migratory birds and other wildllife. In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the creation of Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge as one of the very first in a series of national wildlife refuges. He created these National Wildlife Refuges using executive order, stating that is was important to set aside refuges like these as "preserves and breeding grounds for native birds." Over the years, Presidents Taft, Hoover and Roosevelt added more land to Minidoka and increased the number of names on the list of protected wildlife welcome here.

To get there: Go northeast from Rupert on Highway 24. Watch the road and the signs: there are some tricky turns in Rupert. But 5.5 miles from Rupert you should come to the Minidoka Dam road on the right. Turn on that and follow it to the refuge office.

From Interstate 86 you can also take exit 21 (Cold Water) and follow the gravel frontage road along the north side of the highway to the refuge gate, or you can take exit 15 (Raft River) and just follow the signs along the north side of the highway to the Gifford Springs boat ramp.