Cross Creeks
Dover, TN 37058-6136
Plan Your Visit
If you enjoy getting outdoors and looking for wildlife, consider a visit to Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge! Our visitor center entry is free, and it is open as staff are available Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (except for Federal holidays). The refuge hosts Earth Camp each year for 4th and 5th graders from Stewart County. There is also a free family fishing derby each spring.
All refuge roads and areas are closed seasonally from Nov. 15 – Mar. 15 to provide sanctuary for waterfowl and other migratory birds.
Learn more about the refuge in our general brochure.
Activities
More Activities
Get Involved
Volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways!
If you enjoy meeting new people, advocating for conservation and teaching visitors about the outdoors, Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge has a volunteer opportunity that may be a great fit for you.
We also seek someone with interest and/or experience in mechanics, fabrication, building trades to assist our Engineering/Equipment Operator with a variety of maintenance and repair activities. If you enjoy hands-on work, consider volunteering with us.
We ask that volunteer campers work 24 hours per week. In exchange for your time and service, the refuge will provide volunteers with a covered, full hookup camper pad, a free laundry facility located adjacent to the camper pad, propane, a work vehicle and any personal protection equipment needed. Couples and singles are encouraged to apply.
Contact the refuge for more information.
Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
Services
Hunting, fishing, birding, photography, boating, biking, hiking, and kayaking are all popular outdoor recreation activities available to enjoy on the refuge. Our visitor center is open year-round as staff are available. The refuge hosts a free family fishing derby each spring and a summer Earth Camp for 4th and 5th graders from Stewart County.
About
Established on Nov. 9, 1962, Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge lies within the floodplain of the Cumberland River which is now Barkley Lake. The refuge was established as a result of mitigation proceedings with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when portion of the Kentucky Woodlands NWR was inundated with the creation of the Lake Barkley Project. Its primary purpose is to provide feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds with an emphasis placed on providing habitat for wintering waterfowl. Today, the refuge spans 8,862 acres.
The mixture of open water, wetlands, woodlands, croplands, and grasslands creates a mosaic of wildlife-rich habitats. At peak population times for waterfowl, the refuge will average 35,000 birds per day with numbers that may exceed 80,000 during extremely cold weather. Historically the refuge has held up to 10% of the total black duck population wintering in the Mississippi flyway.