Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge
Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuge in north-central Montana, US
The 15,551-acre refuge contains saline wetlands, freshwater marshes, and native prairie grasslands supporting 263 bird species and 26 mammal species.
Glacial movement 15,000 years ago altered the Missouri River course, forming Lake Bowdoin, which became a designated wildlife refuge in 1936.
The land served as hunting and gathering grounds for Plains tribes including the Blackfeet, Cree, Gros Ventres, and Assiniboine nations.
A 15-mile self-guided auto tour route circles Lake Bowdoin, with the visitor center operating weekdays from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM except federal holidays.
White pelicans form Montana's largest colony at this refuge, flying in formations that earned them the local name 'the river's Air Force'.
Location: Montana
Inception: 1936
Operator: US Fish and Wildlife Service
Website: https://fws.gov/refuge/bowdoin
GPS coordinates: 48.40170,-107.66200
Latest update: November 13, 2025 15:39
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