Desert National Wildlife Refuge

08/27/2026

Visitor Alert! Edited 1:45pm, 8/27/26: The Corn Creek visitor center will be open normal hours tomorrow (Friday) 8:00am-3:00pm.

08/06/2026

We have begun recruiting for a Biological Technician position at Desert National Wildlife Refuge! This position will support restoration planting, invasive plant management, and outplant care. This position is hired through Great Basin Institute. For more information or to apply, please visit https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/portal/A1ADEF5691B02D64E998539442696918/jobs/418821

08/06/2026

Is the sweltering summer heat becoming utterly unbearable, making it difficult to even step outside? 🌡️ Are the scorching temperatures making you feel like seeking refuge in the nearest air-conditioned space? Well, you're not alone! Our friends, the chuckwallas, are taking refuge in rock cracks and crevices until further notice, and we can't blame them! 😂 Join us at the Corn Creek Visitor Center on Saturday, August 8th from 10 am- 12 pm and create your own wildlife-inspired paper fan to stay cool and beat the heat.🎨 You'll get to learn about the amazing adaptations of desert creatures, like the chuckwallas, and how they survive in these extreme temperatures. Plus, take home your very own handmade fan to keep you cool all summer long! Photo Credit: John Heil/USFWS

07/31/2026

The sidewinder is taking shape! Artist Tala Cox continues exploring Mojave animals and insects this Saturday at the Corn Creek visitor center. Drop by her table to learn more about her art and the animals that inspire it!

07/30/2026

Never to early to think about Halloween costumes!

The white-lined sphinx moth is one of the desert’s most remarkable nighttime pollinators—often mistaken for a small hummingbird as it hovers in place to feed. Using its long, straw-like proboscis, it can reach deep into tubular flowers that some insects can’t access.

Primarily nocturnal, their antennae help the moths navigate low light and detect scents, guiding them toward nectar-rich blooms even after sunset. These strong fliers spend much of the evening darting from flower to flower, making them important partners in desert pollination.

Like all moths, the white-lined sphinx moth goes through a complete metamorphosis: from egg to caterpillar, then into a pupa buried in the soil, and finally emerging as the fast-flying adult we see during spring. If you visited Death Valley National Park during this year's wildflower bloom, you may have seen many of these caterpillars munching on wildflowers and even marching on park sidewalks.🐛

Photo of white-lined sphinx moth: R. Colvin/USFWS

07/25/2026

Escape the heat with refuge staff at the Corn Creek Visitor Center on Saturday, August 8th, from 10am-12pm for a creative drop-in activity to craft your own wildlife-inspired paper fan. Discover how desert plants and animals adapt to survive in summer’s extreme conditions!

07/18/2026

Want see how this mask turns into a sidewinder? Slither your way to Tala Cox's Mojave Mask table this Saturday to see! Her other Mojave creations will also be on display.

Did you know that the sidewinders unique style of moving not only helps it move fast but also helps it stay cool by reducing the time it's body touches the hot ground?

06/28/2026

Pollinator Week wrap-up! While Corn Creek at Desert NWR is a paradise for desert pollinators, you don't need space the size of the refuge to help. From planting native, flowering plants to changing how you "clean up" your outdoor space, there are simple steps you can take to help pollinators around where you live. Learn to be a good pollinator host!

Establishing an inviting environment for pollinators can enhance any area into a vibrant oasis year-round. At the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we proudly welcome pollinators. You can roll out a welcome mat for pollinators too, no matter where you live!

06/27/2026

Artist Tala Cox will be at the Corn Creek visitor center on Sunday, June 28. If you are interested in learning more about how her artwork comes to life, stop by her table in the visitor center tomorrow. Tala's current mask series focuses on the wildlife of the Mojave Desert.

06/25/2026

It's National Pollinator Week! Every June we celebrate the birds, insects, mammals, and more that keep our ecosystems and food production running. What does it take for pollinators to have a good "house" to live in? You can learn more with "Pollinator Bunch Go House Hunting."

On Habitat Hunters, our pollinator bunch is searching for their own perfect places to call home, and every species needs something a little different to thrive especially when it comes to food sources and nesting sites. Pollinators are responsible for many of the foods we eat, like blueberries, almo...