Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Nature reserve in Madison County, Montana, US

Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge encompasses a diverse landscape of lakes, wetlands, forests, and grasslands in Montana's mountain terrain. The terrain ranges from open water areas to forested ridges, creating varied habitats that support different wildlife populations.

Established by executive order in 1935, the refuge became the main site for saving the trumpeter swan, which by 1932 had fewer than 200 known specimens in the United States and Canada. By 2002 an estimated 3,000 trumpeters wintered here, many migrating south from Canada. The 32,350-acre Red Rock Lakes Wilderness, created in 1976, prevents further human improvements on most of the refuge.

The refuge serves as a vital stopover for migratory birds traveling between North and South America on their seasonal journeys. Visitors can experience the natural rhythm of bird movements directly, especially during spring and fall months.

The area is best explored on foot or by car using existing roads, though some sections remain unpaved. Visitors should prepare for changing weather conditions and bring appropriate clothing for variable temperatures.

By 1932 fewer than 200 trumpeter swans were known in the United States and Canada, and this refuge became the main site of the effort to save them. Roughly 3,000 were wintering here by 2002, many having flown south from Canada. Managers now work to help the birds reestablish historic migration routes into the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin.