Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge

{{short description|Wildlife refuge in Bonneville and Caribou counties in Idaho, United States}}

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

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge

| iucn_category = IV

| map = USA

| relief = 1

| map_caption = Map of the United States

| map_width = 270

| photo = Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge.jpg

| photo_caption =

| photo_width = 270

| location = Bonneville County, Caribou County, Idaho, United States

| nearest_city = Soda Springs, Idaho

| coordinates = {{coord|43.06297|-111.42689|region:US-ID|notes={{cite gnis|382612|Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge}}|display=inline, title}}

| area = {{convert|19400|acre|km2|abbr=on}}

| established = 1965

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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

}}

Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States located Bonneville and Caribou counties in southeastern Idaho. It has the largest hardstem bulrush marsh in North America. Located in a high mountain valley near Soda Springs, the refuge and surrounding mountains offer scenic vistas, wildflowers, and fall foliage displays. Lands adjacent to the {{convert|19400|acre|km2|adj=on}} refuge are primarily wet meadows and grasslands. The refuge provides breeding habitat for species of mammals including moose, elk, mule deer, muskrat, badger, and weasel.

Geography

The refuge has a surface area of {{convert|20,125.08|acre|km2 ha|lk=in}}.[http://www.fws.gov/refuges/land/LandReport.html USFWS Annual Lands Report, 30 September 2007]

Bird habitat

The refuge hosts a large nesting population of greater sandhill cranes; as many as 1200 individuals are counted in the valley during migration and staging times. The refuge is a birding destination, and a good area to view the rare trumpeter swans. This near-pristine montane wetland is being threatened by the same type of suburban/rural development that has so heavily impacted nearby Jackson Hole.

See also

{{portal-inline|Idaho}}

References

{{reflist|22em}}

{{Include-USGov|agency=United States Fish and Wildlife Service}}