Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge is 12,383 acres of land located 12 miles north of Great Falls, Montana. The Refuge is home to Benton Lake, a 5,000-acre shallow wetland, an oasis for water birds.

Various mammal species frequent the area, such as Mountain Cottontails, Muskrats, American Badgers, Striped Skunks, Raccoons, Long-Tailed Weasels, Richardson's Ground Squirrels, Coyotes, and White-Tailed Deer, Mule Deer, and Pronghorns.

The area is most known for the bird species that visit at different times of the year. Since 1961, the following species have each been spotted at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge: the Eastern Kingbird, Violet-Green Swallow, Black-Capped Chickadee, Rock Wren, Golden-Crowned Kinglet, Robins, European Starling, Macgillivray's Warbler, Song Sparrow, Red-Winged Blackbird, Rosy Finch, American Goldfinch, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Golden Eagle, Gyrfalcon, Gray Partridge, Sharp-Tailed Grouse, Mourning Dove, Snowy Owl, Burrowing Owl, Nighthawk, Downy Woodpecker, Loon, American White Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Trumpeter Swan, Canada Geese, Mallards, Red-Breasted Merganser, and many more.

There's a boardwalk and a sharp-tailed grouse viewing blind available for visitors to utilize. We recommend following the Prairie Marsh Wildlife Drive to learn about the Refuge.