Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge Admin Building and Visitor Contact Station — Attraction in Swanton

The refuge is nice. The one star is for the fact that the rangers and employees use the refuge as their own personal off leash dog park while everyone else gets a ticket if their dogs are off leash. For the record my dogs are on leash on the refuge, so this isn't sour grapes due to getting a ticket. I just don't appreciate the double standard here. I don't like walking into HQ to be barked at by four big dogs kept behind the counter either. I think this is really an unprofessional way to manage public lands. EDITED AS REPLY TO BELOW: I said I didn't get a ticket. I also said that the rangers' dogs were OFF LEASH all around the HQ office (four of them running around when I was there) and make a ruckus inside the office as well. Anyone who DOES get a ticket is well within their rights to protest it since the rangers don't even bother to follow the rules. After I got swarmed by the rangers' off leash dogs just a few seconds after I walked away from my truck, a ranger came out to yell at me about having my dogs off leash which was nuts because my dogs were still in the car. I told him the off leash dogs were refuge employees' dogs, not mine, and he said "well it's OK for them to be off leash around the HQ building. But if YOU go on the trails your dogs have to be leashed."...

I brought my kids for a special bird watching for National Migratory Bird Day. Granted, NONE of us are bird watching enthusiasts. We like birds, we THINK birds like us, we love the outdoors, it seemed like a fun event. Thankfully, the staff at the refuge set it up so that novices like us could also enjoy a day of bird watching while learning how to bird watch. Spare binoculars were provided. The refuge is acres upon acres of wild land that's crisscrossed with many well cared for trails. Some skirt the wetlands nearby as well so you get to see a very diverse amount of wildlife in natural habitat. The facility is like a mini-museum and has an information desk that's continually staffed. Very helpful and knowledgeable folks here so don't be afraid to ask questions! I'd like to see the facility expand more and build a full-fledged nature museum and learning center. It's close but not quite where I think it deserves to be. If you love the outdoors, birds, nature all that jazz..make a stop in on a nice sunny day. You likely won't be disappointed....

This is probably the best place too visit with either just by yourself, so you can get some peace and quiet and unwind after a long stressful day. Watching the wildlife and people fishing while you are letting your stress slip away from your thoughts. Next time you are having a bad day, Drive down to the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge and enjoy some...