Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, located in central Minnesota, USA, was established in 1992 to preserve a large, natural wetland complex. It is an essential stop for many species of migrating birds. Located within a large watershed that includes Rice, Skunk and Mud Lakes, Platte and Skunk Rivers, Rice and Buckman Creeks, and sedge meadow wetlands, it harbors one of the largest nesting populations of greater sandhill cranes in Minnesota. Habitats include native tallgrass prairie, oak savanna and wetlands with wild rice stands. With a total authorized acquisition boundary of 13,540 acres (54.8 km2) encompassing this important wetland complex and adjacent uplands, the refuge exists as scattered parcels totaling about 2,000 acres (8.1 km2). Existing ownership lies in Little Falls and Agram townships in Morrison County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Minnesota |
| Size | 2,204 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| FWS region | Region 3 |
| Center point | 45.9322, -94.2520 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
Boundary map
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
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 3.6 miSt. Joseph's Church--Catholic ↗Pierz, MN
- 5.1 mi
- 5.7 miBurton--Rosenmeier House ↗Little Falls, MN
- 5.7 miChurch of Our Savio--Episcopal ↗Little Falls, MN
- 5.8 miWeyerhaeuser, Charles A., and Musser, Richard Drew, Houses ↗Little Falls, MN
- 5.8 miLittle Falls Carnegie Library ↗Little Falls, MN
- 5.8 miMorrison County Courthouse ↗Little Falls, MN
- 6.2 miPine Tree Lumber Company Office Building ↗Little Falls, MN
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge?
2,204 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 Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in?
Minnesota.
Source: How states are assigned
How do I get to Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.932, -94.252. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
How dark is the night sky at Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 16 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge?
14 National Register listings within 15 miles, including St. Joseph's Church--Catholic and Warren, William, Two Rivers House Site and McDougall, Peter, Farmstead.
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: Crane Meadows 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.