Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge

Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge Visit our official website: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/trempealeau Welcome

This is an official page of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To learn more about our social media efforts, and to find a list of official USFWS social media sites, please visit our social media hub:http://www.fws.gov/home/socialmedia/

Our agency is known for our scientific excellence, our stewardship of lands and natural resources, and our dedicated conservation and wildlife professionals. While we hope that this page will help you stay connected to our wo

rk, we also hope that it will keep us connected to you and the issues you care about. Your participation on this page is vital and all feedback is welcome--both good and bad. Your perspective is welcomed and we hope that conversations about the Service can be productive, fun, and engaging.

🙂 Our Artist in the Refuge-Plein Air Event was a success! 🙂Outdoors and art, what a great combination! Thank you to ev...
06/13/2026

🙂 Our Artist in the Refuge-Plein Air Event was a success! 🙂

Outdoors and art, what a great combination! Thank you to everyone who attended the event and joined us in celebrating National Trails Days (NTD). Our hearts were happy seeing many enjoying the outdoors at the refuge. Special thanks to the Friends of Trempealeau Refuge for sponsoring the event and to our refuge volunteers. The Artist Along the Trail-Plein Air Event was made possible through donations from the Michael Owecke Memorial Fund from the Friends of Trempealeau Refuge. It was a great day to be outdoors. The event provided a unique opportunity for visitors to celebrate NTD!

Photo credit and description: Picture #1, Artist Ellen McDonah and Colleen Shore smiling standing next to each other between their easels by Cathy Richardson / USFWS. Picture #2, Artist Paula Havisto standing behind her easel while painting by Cathy Richardson. Picture #3, Artist Jamie Schwaba painting by Cathy Richarson / USFWS. Picture #4, Artist Trinity Rietman painting by Cathy Richardson / USFWS. Picture #5, Artist David Carlson painting behind his easel by Cathy Richardson / USFWS. Picture #6, Picture of Ellen McDonah artwork by Mark Bockenhauer / USFWS. Picture #7, View of an easel with a landscape paint and a wetland in the background by Mark Bockenhauer / USFWS. Picture #8, Artist Betsy Midthun painting at the OWL Center playscape by Marck Bockenhauer / USFWS.

Looking for something to do tomorrow evening? The Friends of Trempealeau Refuge will be hosting, ‘A Visit They’ll Never ...
06/12/2026

Looking for something to do tomorrow evening? The Friends of Trempealeau Refuge will be hosting, ‘A Visit They’ll Never Forget from a LIVE Eagle Ambassador!’ program.

A naturalist from the National Eagle Center will provide an engaging and entertaining presentation. Get a unique look at how they care for the National Eagle Center’s ambassadors! You have not experienced the true beauty of an eagle until you’ve met one face-to-face. Get to know their eagle ambassadors. The program is approximately 45 minutes in length and features a live eagle ambassador!

When: Saturday June 13, 2026, 6:30 pm
Where: Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge
*This program is sponsored by the Friends of Trempealeau Refuge.
*The National Eagle Center from Wabasha, MN will be doing a presentation at the Outdoor Wonders Learning Center.

Photo credit and description: Bald Eagle flying with its wings wide open by Jean Bohlinger / USFWS

With the storm and high winds, we have a few trees over refuge roads. Portions of the Wildlife Drive are closed. Refuge ...
06/11/2026

With the storm and high winds, we have a few trees over refuge roads. Portions of the Wildlife Drive are closed. Refuge staff are currently working with cleaning trees off roads. If you visit the refuge, please execute caution and plan accordingly.

Photo credit and description: Picture #1, Road Closed barricade by Dana M. Schelling / USFWS. Picture #2, Fallen tree over the road by Dana M. Schelling / USFWS

🌸🌸 Wildflower Wednesday! 🌸🌸Two of our stunning blossoms of the refuge; Catalpa Trees and Butterfly Milkweed. Catalpa tr...
06/10/2026

🌸🌸 Wildflower Wednesday! 🌸🌸

Two of our stunning blossoms of the refuge; Catalpa Trees and Butterfly Milkweed. Catalpa trees are tall shade deciduous trees with a big heart-shaped leave and an elegant trumpet-shaped white flower that attracts pollinators like bees and moths. The Butterfly Milkweed grows commonly in dry open habitats and is very common in the prairies and grasslands of the Midwest. Its bright orange flower is very distinguishable throughout the landscape, and it is seen growing in clusters.

Photo credit and description: Picture #1, Catalpa Tree flower blooming by Dana M. Schelling / USFWS, Picture #2, Butterfly Milkweed blooming by Dana M. Schelling / USFWS

Quick‼️Catching a glimpse of a camouflaged woodcock can be difficult.🙂Have you ever seen an American Woodcock❓ Woodcocks...
06/07/2026

Quick‼️Catching a glimpse of a camouflaged woodcock can be difficult.

🙂Have you ever seen an American Woodcock❓ Woodcocks have a brown-mottled color which helps them to camouflage against the leaf litter. They like to probe the soil with their bill in search of earthworms, they will walk slowly and at times will rock their body back and forth. While doing this they will step heavily with their front foot which makes the earthworms move, helping the woodcocks to find them. 🙂

Photo: American Woodcock by Mark Bockenhauer / USFWS

🎨 Let the painting and drawing begin! 🎨Artists are ready to paint and draw rain or shine during National Trails Day. Th...
06/06/2026

🎨 Let the painting and drawing begin! 🎨

Artists are ready to paint and draw rain or shine during National Trails Day. There are 24 artist painting throughout the refuge trails today 😊 Come and join us on our Artist Along the Trail Refuge-Plein Air Event.

🖌 7:00 am - 11:00 am, artist will be on refuge trails painting at plein air.
🖌 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, artists and visitors are invited to the Outdoor Wonder Learning Center, for a social with snacks and beverages. Artists will set up their easels to display their mornings work and share their creative process.

📷Photo credit and description: Artist Colleen Shore holding her paint while smiling by Scott Lee / USFWS

🎨 As our series, ‘Meet the Artist’, comes to an end, meet the last artist of our series, Patricia O’Neil 🎨🖌 Patricia sta...
06/05/2026

🎨 As our series, ‘Meet the Artist’, comes to an end, meet the last artist of our series, Patricia O’Neil 🎨

🖌 Patricia statement: Nature is what inspires creativity in me, especially through the use of watercolors. My goal is to inspire the awe that I find in nature, no matter how small or how large the subject matter. Whether you are seeing a bug on a blossom, or a view of the bluffs looming over the water, may you experience the awe found in nature. 🖌

📧 You may reach Patricia at [email protected]
⁉ What: Artist Along the Trail Refuge-Plein Air Event
📍 Where: Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge trails
🕖 When: Saturday, June 6, 2026, 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Photo credit and description: Picture #1, Patricia O’Neil plein-aire artist self-portrait by Provider / USFWS. Picture #2, Artwork – Landscape paint by Patricia O’Neil.

🎨 As our series, ‘Meet the Artist’, comes to an end, we will be introducing two artists each day. Today’s SECOND artist ...
06/04/2026

🎨 As our series, ‘Meet the Artist’, comes to an end, we will be introducing two artists each day. Today’s SECOND artist of the day is – Trinity Rietmann🎨

🖌 Trinity statement: Trinity Rietmann is an emerging artist based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She recently graduated from UWL with an art degree and is prioritizing her work as a photographer and painter while enjoying life as a stay-at-home mom.
Trinity is drawn to the methodology of plein air painting as she loves spending time outdoors. She aims to capture the beauty of nature through the bold texture and color of her paintings. For Trinity, plein air painting brings a time of peace and joy as she creates something beautiful. 🖌

📧 You may reach Trinity at [email protected]
⁉ What: Artist Along the Trail Refuge-Plein Air Event
📍 Where: Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge trails
🕖 When: Saturday, June 6, 2026, 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Photo credit and description: Picture #1, Trinity Rietmann with her family smiling by Provider / USFWS. Picture #2, Artwork – Landscape by Trinity Rietmann.

🎨 As our series, ‘Meet the Artist’, comes to an end, we will be introducing two artists each day. Today’s FIRST artist o...
06/04/2026

🎨 As our series, ‘Meet the Artist’, comes to an end, we will be introducing two artists each day. Today’s FIRST artist of the day is – Phyllis Martino🎨

🖌 Phyllis statement: I am a representational painter and enjoy painting in watercolors, and sometimes I use oil pastels for a mixed media effect. This region offers me a wide variety of subject matter, and my goal is to capture how the light affects my inspiration. 🖌

📧 You may reach Phyllis at [email protected]
⁉ What: Artist Along the Trail Refuge-Plein Air Event
📍 Where: Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge trails
🕖 When: Saturday, June 6, 2026, 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Photo credit and description: Picture #1, Phyllis Martino plein-aire artist self-portrait by Provider / USFWS. Picture #2, Artwork – Landscape paint by Phyllis Martino.

🎨 As our series, ‘Meet the Artist’, comes to an end, we will be introducing two artists each day. Today’s SECOND artist ...
06/03/2026

🎨 As our series, ‘Meet the Artist’, comes to an end, we will be introducing two artists each day. Today’s SECOND artist of the day is – Paula Havisto🎨

🖌 Paula statement: Watercolor is my favorite medium. I love the fluid nature of it and letting the water and paint dance together. I’m a local artist from Onalaska and enjoy painting landscapes, nature, and painting from imagination. Painting Plein Air is such an invigorating experience to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature while painting. 🖌

📧 You may reach Paula at [email protected]
⁉ What: Artist Along the Trail Refuge-Plein Air Event
📍 Where: Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge trails
🕖 When: Saturday, June 6, 2026, 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Photo credit and description: Picture #1, Paula Havisto plein-aire artist self-portrait by Provider / USFWS. Picture #2, Artwork – Landscape paint by Paula Havisto.

Address

W28488 Refuge Road
Trempealeau, WI
54661

Opening Hours

Wednesday 8am - 3:30pm
Thursday 8am - 3:30pm
Friday 8am - 3:30pm

Telephone

+16085392311

Website

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