USFWS · Georgia

Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge

The Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 4,049 acre (16.4 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located in Lanier County, Georgia. Banks Lake is a natural pocosin or sink of ancient geologic origin. The refuge was established in 1985 for the protection and conservation of this unique environment as well as migratory and resident wildlife.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

National Wildlife Refuge2,970 acresUSFWSGA
Official page at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
1fire
active
Bee Haven Bay (24-06) · 40 mi from the center · 170 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-09-18
Incident details ↓

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationNational Wildlife Refuge
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateGeorgia
Size2,970 acres (computed from the boundary polygon)
FWS regionRegion 4
Center point31.0230, -83.1223
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 28)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge50°60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 51.2°F averageFebruary: 54.5°F averageMarch: 60.4°F averageApril: 66.4°F averageMay: 73.6°F averageJune: 79.3°F averageJuly: 81.2°F averageAugust: 81.0°F averageSeptember: 77.5°F averageOctober: 69.0°F averageNovember: 59.8°F averageDecember: 53.7°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Valdosta 2 S, 17 miles from the center point at 265 feet, station USC00098974 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-18
  • Wildfire
    Bee Haven Bay (24-06)

    40 mi from the center point · 170 acres · 90% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 13 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

2,970 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.

Source: How acreage is computed

Who manages Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

What state is Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge in?

Georgia.

Source: How states are assigned

How do I get to Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

A point inside the boundary is at 31.023, -83.122. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Is there a fire near Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Bee Haven Bay (24-06) at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 28 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge?

13 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Lanier County Auditorium and Grammar School and Harrison, William G., House.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
  • States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
  • Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
  • Description: Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.