Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge

| iucn_category = IV

| iucn_ref = {{Cite web|url=https://www.protectedplanet.net/2908|title=Bear Lake|website=Protected Planet|access-date=2018-12-29}}

| map = USA

| relief = 1

| map_caption = Map of the United States

| map_width = 300

| photo = Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge - Moose.jpg

| photo_caption = A moose and her young in Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge. USFWS photo.

| photo_width =

| location = Bear Lake County, Idaho, United States

| nearest_city = Montpelier, Idaho

| coordinates = {{coord|42.16326|-111.31242|region:US-ID|notes={{cite gnis|396089|Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge}}|display=inline, title}}

| area = {{convert|19000|acre|km2|abbr=on}}

| established = 1968

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

| website = [http://www.fws.gov/refuge/bear_lake/ Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge]

}}

Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in southeast Idaho, {{convert|7|mi|km|spell=in}} south of Montpelier. Surrounded by mountains, it lies in Bear Lake Valley at an elevation ranging from {{convert|5925|ft|m}} on the marsh to {{convert|6800|ft|m}} on the rocky slopes of Merkley Mountain. The refuge office is located in Montpelier.

The {{convert|19000|acre|km2|adj=on}} refuge is mainly made up of a bulrush marsh, open water, and flooded meadows of sedges, rushes, and grasses. Portions of the refuge include scattered grasslands and brush-covered slopes.

Bear Lake Refuge encompasses what is locally referred to as Dingle Swamp or Dingle Marsh. Along with Bear Lake proper, the marsh was once part of a larger prehistoric lake that filled the valley. As it drained and receded, Dingle Marsh was reduced from {{convert|25000|acre|km2}} to less than 17,000 before it became part of the refuge.

==Fauna==

White-faced ibis, sandhill cranes, swans, ducks, geese, and shorebirds reside in this wildlife refuge during its summer seasons. Moose can sometimes be found on this refuge, along with wintering mule deer. Smaller mammals often seen are muskrats, skunks, and cottontail rabbits.