Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge, Wildlife refuge in Stillwater County, Montana, US

Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge is an unstaffed satellite refuge of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Stillwater County, Montana. It lies beside Hailstone Lake, a natural basin enlarged to 300 acres in the 1930s under the Works Project Administration, where an earthen dam turned the wetland into a reservoir. Greasewood grows on the saline soils, while less salty ground carries native grasses.

Hailstone was first protected in 1942 as an easement refuge, a privately owned parcel set aside to give migratory waterfowl a rest stop and breeding ground. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bought the land outright in 1980. It is one of the unstaffed satellite refuges of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Complex, established by executive order and managed from Lewistown, Montana.

The refuge lies beside Hailstone Lake, a natural basin enlarged to 300 acres in the 1930s under the Works Project Administration, when an earthen dam turned the wetland into a reservoir. Greasewood grows on the saline soils, while less salty ground carries native grasses. Visitors come for big game and bird hunting and for wildlife observation.

The refuge is located a short distance east of Rapelje and permits activities like big game hunting, bird watching, and wildlife photography in designated zones. Visitors should prepare for variable weather conditions and follow all posted regulations for different areas.

In 2011, refuge managers removed an earthen dam to restore natural water flow and address accumulation of heavy metals in the habitat. This restoration work allowed the ecosystem to return to more natural drainage patterns.