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Sacramento NWR Complex Notifications

Updated June 16, 2025 - 10:40am

Thursday, June 19 2025 is a Fee Free Day, in recognition of Juneteenth (Federal Holiday). No Entrance Fee is required for the Sacramento NWR Auto Tour on this day. Our headquarters will be closed but construction crews (read below) will be working that day.

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (Willows, CA): The entrance road, visitor center parking lot, and north-side walking trails will be under construction starting June 16 through mid-October. What does this mean?
- Access to the Auto Tour route may be closed for a short duration during this window (specific dates forthcoming).
- The north-side walking trails will not be available to visitors (south-side trails will not be under construction and will be accessible depending on parking lot availability).
- There may be times where getting to the bathrooms outside the visitor center won't be possible, so please use the vault toilet out on the auto tour instead during these times.

Thank you for driving slowly, following all flaggers directing traffic, and honoring any closures while this important work is completed this summer. 

Additional time-sensitive information will be shared here or on our social media pages as needed.

Entrance Fee at Sacramento NWR: Review our Passes and Permits section to purchase any pass ahead of time. While construction is happening, we will not have our fee station, readily available QR codes, and the Visitor Center has limited hours, so please evaluate what pass you need and how you can purchase it from the table in this section before arriving at the refuge.

Visit Us

Welcome to Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area (including the Llano Seco Unit)!   

This WMA is primarily composed of privately-owned properties under conservation easement conservation easement
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or qualified conservation organization that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on a property in the future. Conservation easements aim to protect habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife by limiting residential, industrial or commercial development. Contracts may prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland and establishment of game farms. Easement land remains in private ownership.

Learn more about conservation easement , but does have one Service-owned property that is open to the public: the Llano Seco Unit.  Located about 10 miles southwest of the city of Chico in Butte County, the Llano Seco Unit offers opportunities for photography, wildlife viewing and a 1-mile trail.

There are LOTS of recreational opportunities on the other refuges of the Complex, including Visitor Areas, Auto Tours, trails, bicycling, photography, and hunting. 

VISIT US! <-- CLICK HERE... 
to find all the information you need to PLAN YOUR VISIT, like recreational opportunities, what to expect, hours and directions, accessibility, passes and permits, rules and policies, local and contact information.  Or jump straight to your favorite activity using these quick links:

VISITOR CENTERAUTO TOURSTRAILSBICYCLINGPHOTOGRAPHYHUNTING-WATERFOWLHunting-RiverMAPS, DIRECTIONS + BROCHURESENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Sacramento National Wildlife is one of the 5 National Wildlife Refuges and 3 Wildlife Management Areas that make up the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex: 

Trails

Auto Tours and Trails  <-- Please click here for CURRENT MAPS and INFORMATION about all of our Trails!

Other Facilities in the Complex

The Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area is managed as part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, with headquarters at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge Complex is comprised of 5 National Wildlife Refuges (Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, Sutter and Sacramento River NWRs) and 3 Wildlife Management Areas (Willow Creek-Lurline, Butte Sink and Steve Thompson North Central Valley WMAs).

Large flock of Ross's and snow geese in flight against a blue sky
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Sacramento NWR Complex and offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including wildlife viewing, photography, hiking, hunting and so much more. The Visitor Center for the Complex is located at Sacramento NWR, where you can find maps and...
National Wildlife Refuge
six pintails in a courtship flight
Delevan National Wildlife Refuge
Delevan National Wildlife Refuge is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Delevan NWR is mostly closed to the public, but does offer hunting and limited photography.
National Wildlife Refuge
flock of dunlin and dowitchers in flight above wetland surface
Colusa National Wildlife Refuge
Colusa National Wildlife Refuge is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Colusa NWR offers many visitor activities: drive the auto tour, take photos, watch wildlife, go for a hike, or take part in a waterfowl hunt.
National Wildlife Refuge
white-fronted geese standing in pond with reeds in background
Sutter National Wildlife Refuge
Sutter National Wildlife Refuge is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Sutter NWR is located about 50 miles north of the metropolitan area of Sacramento, and offers limited wildlife viewing, hunting, and seasonal trails.
National Wildlife Refuge
black tailed deer in grass with white geese flying in background
Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge
SACRAMENTO RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Sacramento River NWR is made up of 30 different units that lie between Red Bluff and Princeton. Twenty-four of the units are partially or entirely open to the public, providing a variety of hiking...
National Wildlife Refuge
eight sandhill cranes stand in a shallow wetland with grasses in the background
Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area
Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Steve Thompson NCV WMA consists primarily of conservation easements on privately-owned wetlands, but also includes one 1,732-acre, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-owned property known as the Llano...
National Wildlife Refuge
ducks and geese flying in air and in water. mountains in background
Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area
Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Butte Sink WMA does not have any lands open to the public. Most of the Butte Sink WMA consists of privately-owned properties under conservation easement. One property, known as the Butte Sink Unit, is owned by the U.S....
National Wildlife Refuge
ducks and geese mostly in water with 9 flying. trees in background
Willow Creek-Lurline Wildlife Management Area
Willow Creek-Lurline Wildlife Management Area is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Willow Creek-Lurline WMA consists solely of privately-owned properties under conservation easement, and therefore has no public access.
National Wildlife Refuge

Locations

Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area - Llano Seco Unit

For Hours, Directions and Contact Information, please see our Visit Us page