Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge The nation's 500th refuge!

Protecting relict boreal forest and the largest wetland complex in central and southern Appalachia in the high-elevation Canaan Valley.

The brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is a popular game fish native to eastern North America. They require cold, clean...
05/29/2026

The brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is a popular game fish native to eastern North America. They require cold, clean, and well-oxygenated water. During the day, brook trout may retreat to deeper waters or shaded areas and are more active around dawn or dusk. Consuming mostly insects, these opportunistic fish will also eat smaller fish, crustaceans, salamanders, voles, or anything that could be floating past them. Spawning occurs in the fall in shallow depressions (redds) typically in gravel substrates. The eggs hatch in January and by mid-March juvenile brook trout leave the redds.

And don't forget to drop by our tent at the 3rd annual Appalachian Fly Fishing Festival, May 30 – May 31, 2026, in Thomas, West Virginia, where we'll have a brook trout-themed activity for kids (and kids at heart)!


📷: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS

Check us out at the 3rd Annual Appalachian Fly Fishing Festival this weekend! 🐟🎣We'll be tabling with the Friends of the...
05/28/2026

Check us out at the 3rd Annual Appalachian Fly Fishing Festival this weekend! 🐟🎣

We'll be tabling with the Friends of the 500th Saturday and Sunday on the railroad grade in Thomas, WV. Hope we'll see you there!

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is publishing proposed 2026-2027 station-specific hunting and fishing regulations to ...
05/27/2026

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is publishing proposed 2026-2027 station-specific hunting and fishing regulations to open or expand opportunities at 111 field stations within the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System, including here at Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The Service is seeking public comment on the proposed rule for 30 days. Learn more about the proposed rule and how to submit comments with the link in the comments of this post.

Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who died while serving our Nation.It's also a day for the family memb...
05/25/2026

Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who died while serving our Nation.

It's also a day for the family members -- spouses, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends, to remember the loved ones they lost.

We will never forget the dedication and sacrifice made by the fallen.

Photo of a red-tailed hawk with the American flag by Kyle Flannery/USFWS

Pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is a widespread and long-lived orchid that is typically found in piney woodland...
05/22/2026

Pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is a widespread and long-lived orchid that is typically found in piney woodlands. Although usually pink like their name suggests, pink lady’s slipper flowers can vary from white to a deep magenta. While the plant often lives for 20+ years, it takes 3+ years of growth to bloom, and even then only flowers a handful of times during its lifetime.

Try to spot these delicate ephemeral beauties from the Freeland boardwalk this May!🤍🩷💜


📷: Ken Sturm/USFWS

We've got three programs this upcoming ArtSpring weekend!🎨 Saturday & Sunday | Woodcock Crafts: Drop by the Visitor Cent...
05/21/2026

We've got three programs this upcoming ArtSpring weekend!

🎨 Saturday & Sunday | Woodcock Crafts: Drop by the Visitor Center during open hours to make your own American woodcock craft!

🦫 Saturday | Busy Beavers Walk: Join volunteer Robin on a short guided walk to learn about nature's best engineers! Program begins at 11AM at the Freeland Boardwalk.

🐦 Sunday | Freeland Bird Walk: Join volunteer Jim on a short walk to discover what birds are popping up on the Freeland Boardwalk! Program begins at 8AM at the Freeland Boardwalk.

For many people, the natural world acts as their artistic muse. To celebrate the upcoming ArtSpring Festival, we're shar...
05/20/2026

For many people, the natural world acts as their artistic muse. To celebrate the upcoming ArtSpring Festival, we're sharing some of the nature-inspired art created by our AFNHA AmeriCorps members. This piece was created by Kat!

"The eastern newt is a common species found on the refuge. I wanted to use a unique medium to capture two different life stages it has - the terrestrial eft and the aquatic, adult newt. This was made using cut paper, ink pens, and some markers."

Kat serves as a biological technician on the refuge. Some of her work involves monitoring the population and movement of salamanders, including the threatened Cheat Mountain salamander.

🎨: Kat Moorman/USFWS

Last Wednesday, we had 70 sixth grade students come out to the refuge for the conclusion of our annual Wild School progr...
05/19/2026

Last Wednesday, we had 70 sixth grade students come out to the refuge for the conclusion of our annual Wild School program!

Wild School takes place every spring with our three partner schools in Tucker and Randolph Counties. Refuge staff and volunteers visited classrooms to teach students about wetlands before having the students come to the refuge for hands-on learning experiences with wetland functions and the creatures that live there.

📷: Cindy Phillips/USFWS Volunteer

For many people, the natural world acts as their artistic muse. To celebrate the upcoming ArtSpring Festival, we're shar...
05/18/2026

For many people, the natural world acts as their artistic muse. To celebrate the upcoming ArtSpring Festival, we're sharing some of the nature-inspired art created by our AFNHA AmeriCorps members. These pieces were created by Elizabeth!

"Sugar maple, yellow birch, and red spruce trees are extremely important species on the refuge, making up the majority of its forests. I chose to illustrate them in all 4 seasons to emphasize how much these trees change during the yearly cycle."

Elizabeth serves as a biological technician on the refuge. Some of her work has involved researching propagation methods for our native trees and shrubs for use in cost-effective restoration projects.

🎨: Elizabeth Mahoney/USFWS

Happy Endangered Species Day! Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge is the summer home to three endangered bat species,...
05/15/2026

Happy Endangered Species Day! Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge is the summer home to three endangered bat species, including the northern long-eared bat, Virginia big-eared bat, and the Indiana bat 🦇

The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is a migratory bat found in the forests of the eastern United States during the summer and in caves or mines during the winter. The scientific name translates to “mouse ear” and “companion.” These bats are social creatures, forming colonies in winter where they can be found in clusters of up to 500 bats per square foot (talk about personal space 😅). In spring, mature female Indiana bats will give birth to a single pup each and form maternity colonies. A major threat to the species is white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that impacts them during hibernation.

Indiana bats also represent one of the many species that are currently listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). To date, the ESA has prevented the extinction of hundreds of iconic American species and protected their habitats and the ecosystems that support them. Help us celebrate the ESA on Endangered Species Day!


📷: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS

Address

6263 Appalachian Highway
Davis, WV
26260

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+13048663858

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share