UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge, National wildlife refuge in Phillips County, Montana, US

UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area in Phillips County covering more than 56,000 acres with diverse habitats along the Missouri River. The refuge sits adjacent to the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and Fort Peck Reservoir.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition crossed this stretch of the Missouri River in 1805 and wrote at length about the wildlife and the broken, cliff-cut country. The refuge was later established on 56,048 acres at the southern tip of Phillips County, and its 20,819-acre UL Bend Wilderness is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Charles M. Russell refuge complex.

The name "UL Bend" refers to the U-shaped bend the Missouri River makes through the refuge. The 20,819-acre UL Bend Wilderness, nearly half the refuge, has no maintained trails; visitors reach it only on foot or horseback. The Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument begins immediately west of the wilderness.

Access involves unpaved roads that are best navigated with a high-clearance vehicle, especially during wet seasons. Check local weather conditions and stop in nearby Zortman or Malta for updated information before heading out.

Black-footed ferrets were released into the refuge in the 1990s after the species came close to extinction. In 2002 researchers could find only five ferrets across the whole refuge, and the outcome of the reintroduction is still uncertain. Prairie dog towns supply their main prey.