Refuge Map:
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White River NWR was established in 1935 for the protection of migratory birds. The Refuge lies in the floodplain of the White River near where it meets the Mississippi River. It is one of the largest remaining bottomland hardwood forests in the Mississippi River Valley.
The mission of the Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. White River NWR has one of the largest management programs within the National Wildlife Refuge System, which includes the administration of wildlife, forestry, public use, and other facilities on over 160,000 acres of land.
The primary public use of the White River NWR includes mostly wildlife-dependent recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography and environmental education. The Refuge is divided into a North Unit and a South Unit, separated by Arkansas Highway 1, which is designated as a National Scenic Byway as part of Great River Road. Consisting of mostly floodplain, many roads within the Refuge are not accessible during the flooding season. The Refuge has over 77 miles of gravel roads, 70 miles of dirt roads, 358 miles of All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) trails, numerous levees, culverts, spillways, and other facilities that all require periodic maintenance for reliable and safe use.
