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Description:
Bear Lake Refuge is located in southeast Idaho, 7 miles south of Montpelier. Surrounded by mountains, it lies in the Bear Lake Valley at elevations ranging ranging from 5,925 feet on the marsh to 6,800 feet on the rocky slopes of Merkley Mountain.The 18,000-acre refuge is comprised mainly of a bulrush marsh, open water, and flooded meadows of sedges, rushes, and grasses. Portions of the refuge include scattered grasslands and brush-covered mountain 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 25,000 acres to less than 17,000 before it became part of the refuge.The interspersion of bulrush, open water, and uplands provides ideal habitat for numerous waterfowl species. Common nesting species include the Canada goose, redhead, canvasback, mallard, gadwall, cinnamon teal, and northern shoveler. In a typical breeding season, the refuge will produce 4,500 ducks and 1,800 geese. Trumpeter swans are also beginning to nest on the refuge.The refuge provides valuable habitat for 12 species that nest in colonies in bulrush. These include the white-faced ibis, snowy egret, black-crowned night heron, great blue heron, double-crested cormorant, California gull, Franklin's gull, Caspian tern, Forster's tern, black tern, western grebe, and eared grebe. Sandhill cranes are frequently observed on the refuge. The refuge's shallow water and mudflat areas provide habitat for willets, avocets, and stilts. Elusive rails are also present along with that master of camouflage, the bittern. The refuge supports a rich variety of other migratory birds such as hawks, owls, and many species of songbirds. Hundreds of mule deer winter along Merkley Mountain, and one or two moose are present during most seasons in refuge willows. Smaller mammals often seen are muskrats, skunks, and cottontail rabbits. Residents less frequently seen vary from small meadow voles to beavers, coyotes, badgers, mink, and weasels. Directions:
The office is in Montpelier, Idaho. To get there, travel east on Webster Street off Route 30. To reach the refuge, turn south off Route 89 onto a gravel road approximately half way between Montpelier and Ovid. This turnoff is marked. Continue south for about 5 miles until you reach the refuge boundary.
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