Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge Admin Bldg & Visitor Contact Station — Attraction in Mississippi

When travel we look for ways to get stamps for our NWR passport book and this was a must see stop while we were in the area. The Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1975 to safeguard the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and its unique disappearing wet pine savanna habitat. The refuge consists of more than 19,000 acres in four units and is now part of the Gulf Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The visitor center was closed when we arrived so we were unable to get a physical stamp but reached out and they mailed us one. At a National Wildlife Refuge, you can primarily engage in outdoor activities like birdwatching, wildlife photography, hiking, fishing, hunting (depending on regulations), and nature viewing while respecting the primary purpose of the refuge which is to conserve and protect wildlife and their habitats; many refuges also offer environmental education programs and guided tour possibilities are endless. Would know more if the visitor center was open so we took in the day and enjoyed watching the birds...

I'm a bit of a carnivorous plant junkie so the walk through around the Dees trail was great to get to see sundews (they're tiny but once you know what you're looking for they're everywhere!), tons of pitcher plants, and even a few butterwort. Sadly we did not see any of the namesake cranes, but apparently we were not there during the optimal viewing season anyway. The volunteers working there are incredibly kind and went out of their way to make our visit enjoyable. My two kids were doing the Jr ranger booklet and while out on the trail we lost track of time (sundew spotting!) and got back to the visitor center a bit after the 3pm closing time, but a kind volunteer was still there and stayed an additional 15 or so minutes to work through the last bit of the booklet with the kids. We stopped here on whim but I'm glad we did. And watch the video! I think it's always worth learning about the world around us and the creatures we...

Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR protects some of the last remaining wet pine savanna, habitat for the critically endangered Mississippi subspecies of sandhill crane. It's just a half mile of I-10 in Gautier, so a nice spot for a break from driving. I was driving across Mississippi towards Florida and stopped here for a break to stretch my legs. The visitor center was closed on Monday, so I just hiked the CL Dees Nature Trail. The 3/4 mile trail runs through a wet pine savanna and along Bayou Castille. Signs along the trail provide information about the savanna habitat. Didn't see any cranes, but there were pitcher plants and wildflowers along the trail. Great place to learn about cranes and the habitat they depend on to survive as well as a good spot for a break from driving on the interstate without going far...