Pahranagat and Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuges

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Pahranagat and Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuges

Official information on Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/pahranagat Our page encourages public discussion about our activities.

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09/16/2026

Did you know that dragonflies have a nearly 360-degree field of view?

This incredible range is due to their eyes with a whopping 20,000+ lenses each. Dragonflies actually have 5 eyes. Their two large, compound eyes are responsible for their wide range of vision, and their smaller three eyes (aka ocelli) are primarily for detecting light.

This wide field of view contributes to their expert agility and hunting ability. They capture their prey either directly with their mouths or with their feet. Next time you visit Pahranagat or Moapa Valley NWR, take a few minutes to watch dragonflies and appreciate their flying and hunting skills!

Photo taken at Pahranagat NWR: O. Burkholz/USFWS

09/12/2026

A rare sighting at the Pahranagat NWR visitor center!!

You never know what you’ll see at the refuge!! This bighorn sheep was spotted near our visitor center a few weeks ago.

Why was this sighting rare? In the summer, bighorn sheep prefer high elevation rocky slopes over the low elevation habitat our refuge provides. In addition, they don’t typically venture into valleys, like ours, with lots of vegetation, as this habitat could conceal potential predators.

But! Bighorn sheep have a keen sense of smell and can detect water from quite a distance. Refuge staff wonder if this ram came to our visitor center area in search of water at our meandering streams?

While we aren’t quite sure why this young ram paid a visit to our visitor center, it was a very neat sighting for our staff!

Photo of bighorn sheep on Davenport trail at Pahranagat NWR: O. Burkholz/USFWS

09/09/2026

PAHRANAGAT HOURS UPDATE

Attention! Despite the heat of summer still holding strong, the Pahranagat NWR visitor center officially switches to our “winter” hours this Thursday, September 10! Our visitor center will be open Thursday through Monday from 10:00AM-4:00PM and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

As always, the campground is open 24/7, 365 days a year, and our trails are open every day from sunrise to sunset!

We hope to see you soon!

Photo of Pahranagat NWR visitor center interior: O. Burkholz/USFWS

09/05/2026

This red-winged blackbird is telling you to join us at Pahranagat for some guided birdwatching programs!

On Saturday, October 3, and Saturday, November 21, at 10:00am, refuge staff will host “Birding 101,” a free public program to teach the basics of birdwatching.. The program will begin at the picnic pavilion at the Upper Pahranagat Lake's Day Use Area. A limited number of binoculars will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis, so please bring your own if you have them.

While no species can be guaranteed on a given day, these dates align with the fall migrations of a variety of songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors. We would love to see you attend one of these programs, but we will report back with species highlights for those who can’t make it!

For more information about these programs, or to express your interest in attending, please visit the event page at this link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HxZpYCd4K/

Photo taken at Pahranagat NWR: O. Burkholz/USFWS

09/03/2026

Attention! Updated hours for Pahranagat and Moapa Valley NWRs.

Moapa Valley NWR officially reopens for the season this FRIDAY, September 4! As a reminder, Moapa Valley is open for visitors Friday through Sunday from 8:00AM to 4:00PM. The Moapa dace misses you and hopes to see you soon!

The Pahranagat NWR visitor center will shift to our winter hours next Thursday, September 10. Stay tuned for an official announcement regarding this update next week.

Photo taken at the fish viewing window at Moapa Valley NWR: O. Burkholz/USFWS

08/28/2026

Who can identify this common shorebird?

Despite their bold, black bands across their upper chest and a bright red eye ring, this species can conceal themselves quite well, especially on bare earth. Their medium brown back can blend right into the ground, but they have an extremely distinct call, sounding like they are yelling their own name.

This species also exhibits a distinct behavior while nesting or raising young during which they will pretend to have a broken wing. This makes the parent look like a vulnerable, easy target for potential predators, averting their attention from this species’ nest or young.

Do you know this species? Leave your guess below!

Photo taken at Pahranagat NWR: O. Burkholz

08/25/2026

The black phoebe can be seen at Pahranagat throughout much of the year, often found near water. This species hangs out on low perches near the water to hunt for insects flying near the water’s surface. Look out for black phoebes on the rocks or water control structures of our Upper Lake or scan the branches next to the streams by our Visitor Center and Black Canyon trail!

Photo taken at Upper Pahranagat Lake, Pahranagat NWR: O. Burkholz/USFWS

08/22/2026

Meet the willet! This stocky shorebird comes through Pahranagat NWR on migration, stopping at the shorelines and mudflats of our lakes. They use their long bill to probe in the mud for aquatic invertebrates, also feeding on fish and spiders occasionally.

Although there aren’t many distinctive field markers on this species while stationary, willets have a white stripe running along the length of their wings that can be seen in flight to help you identify this species.

Photo taken at Upper Pahranagat Lake, Pahranagat NWR: O. Burkholz/USFWS

08/18/2026

If you’ve visited Upper Pahranagat Lake this summer, you may have seen a Clark’s or Western grebe out on the water.

These two species are incredibly difficult to distinguish at a distance, as the primary difference is in their black caps. On a Clark’s grebe, the black feathers on their head stop right above their eyes, while the black feathers on a Western grebe extend to just below their eyes.

The first photo shows a Western grebe, and you can clearly see the black on its head extending past the grebe’s brilliant red eye. On the other hand, the second photo shows a Clark’s grebe. It may be tricky to see, but the black feathers just barely touch the top of the grebe’s eye rather than extending below.

Have you seen a Clark’s or Western grebe at Pahranagat yet?

Photos taken at Pahranagat NWR: O. Burkholz/USFWS

08/15/2026

One of the most common snakes at Pahranagat is the gopher snake. You may see them slithering across the road in the morning during a visit at our Upper Lake or hunkering down under a shady shrub to escape the intense mid-day heat.

Although they are non-venomous, they can mimic a rattling noise similar to rattlesnakes by vibrating their tails against the ground or vegetation. Gopher snakes display this behavior when threatened to ward off predators. Therefore, if you see this behavior in person, it probably means you are too close for the snake’s comfort!

To help keep snakes safe and comfortable at the refuge, remember to drive slowly and stay on the trail, always watching what may be slithering ahead of you!

Photo taken at Pahranagat NWR: O. Burkholz/USFWS

Address

Highway 93 North, Milepost 32
Alamo, NV
89001

Telephone

+17757253417

Website

http://www.fws.gov/refuge/pahranagat/

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