Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge is a 6,486 acre (26 km²) wildlife refuge located 5 miles south-east of Dardanelle, Arkansas. The Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge is bounded on one side by the Arkansas River and on its other sides by an oxbow lake that was formerly the main channel of the Arkansas. The oxbow lake was formed in 1954 by the Army Corps of Engineers during their efforts to straighten the Arkansas River navigation channel. The island that was formed by this project between the old and new channels was transferred to the US Department of the Interior in 1957 for use as a wildlife refuge. The land was formerly agricultural land but was abandoned after the 1927 flood. The primary function of this refuge is to provide a winter home for ducks and geese that migrate from the north along the Mississippi Flyway each year. Up to 100,000 of these fowl live in the refuge during the winter months.
We went at the end of February 2021. We saw several bald eagles and juveniles, a large flock of blackbirds feeding and flying, many hawks and a few great blue herons. The auto tour road is not paved but it is well maintained. The observation tower was closed and being repaired. This is a large refuge with several large fields and small trails. Worth a trip to see birds!
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Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge
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Wheelchair Accessible
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