Facilities and Activities:
| Day-Use | Hiking Trail, miles | yes |
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Nearby Parks:
Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park
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| National Park Overview: |
 | Along the banks of the lower Rio Grande is the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a 2,088 acre refuge established in 1943 for the protection of migratory birds. Considered the ?jewel? of the refuge system, this essential ?island? of thorn forest habitat is host or home to nearly 400 different types of birds and a myriad of other species, including the indigo snake, malachite butterfly and the endangered ocelot.
At an ecological crossroad, Santa Ana is strategically located where subtropical climate, gulf coast, great plains and Chihuahuan desert meet. Thousands of birds from the Central and Mississippi flyways funnel through the area on their way to and from Central and South America. This small patch of midvalley riparian woodland is also habitat for about one half of all butterfly species found in the United States.
Before dams and control structures significantly reduced the flow of the Rio Grande, periodic floods cut shifting channels into the delta creating crescent-shaped oxbow lakes, referred to as ?resacas.? Santa Ana?s management program mimics the historical flooding of the Rio Grande, maintaining the bottom land hardwood forest and providing crucial nesting and feeding habitat for birds, watering holes for animals, and homes for countless amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans and insects.
With over 95 percent of the original habitat in the lower Rio Grande delta cleared or altered, Santa Ana is a reminder of the semitropical thorn forest that once dominated the area. |
| Nature of the Area: |
| Bobcat, coyote, armadillo, long-tailed weasel and Mexican ground squirrel are a few of the mammals found on the refuge. The endangered ocelot and jaguarundi are also present but rarely seen. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
| Be the 1st to Review Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. You can rate it, post a comment on it, or do both. |
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| Trails: |
| There are 12 miles of foot trails and access roads that are open to hiking in addition to the 7-mile tour road. These trails vary in length from ? mile (paved and wheelchair-accessible) to the seven mile Wildlife Drive. Some start from the Visitor Center, others from parking lots along the wildlife drive. Trails are open every day from sunrise to sunset. During the winter season, roving naturalists and guides are available to assist visitors. |
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| Related Links: |
| Map of Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge - south Texas - Map of Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge - Hidalgo County, Texas The city of Alamo is 8 miles north on FM (farm to market) 907. Santa Anna National Wildlife Refuge in southern Hidalgo County ... | | North American Butterfly Association-South Texas - Join the NABA-South Texas butterfly club ... Butterflies of Frontera Audubon Center - by Mike Overton Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge Butterfly Checklist - by Edward Knudson Valley Nature Center ... | | Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Texas - Southeast Texas Outside Guide Return To The Guide to Texas Outside Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is a 2,080-acre natural preserve on the banks of the Rio ... | | Pathways To Nature - Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge - Supporting our mission of Bringing People And Nature Together, Wild Birds Unlimited stores donate a ... Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge McAllen, Texas back $25,000 plus $25,000 in local ... | | Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge - Visitors come to see the birds and wildlife that inhabit one of the largest remaining pockets of wilderness on the Lower Rio Grande River. Composing of over 2,000 acres of sub-tropical forest, it is ... | | Santa Ana NWR - Information about the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. ... Along the banks of the lower Rio Grande is the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a 2,088 acre refuge established in 1943 for ... | | Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR - Wildlife, habitat, at the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. ... Wildlife Refuge is headquartered at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. It is located 7 miles south ... |
| Directions: |
| Refuge headquarters is located 7 miles south of Alamo, Texas, on FM 907 about 1/4 mile east on U.S. Highway 281. |
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