Refuge

An early morning trip with the family brought the wondrous sights and sounds of the San Luis and Merced National Wildlife Refuges.

Arriving before sunrise at the San Luis refuge the 28-degree temperature left us in a frost-covered wetland. The sunrise illuminated the frost clinging to the vegetation at the edge of the wetlands as geese, ducks and sandhill cranes stirred from the sleep. herds of Tulle Elk wandered a fenced portion of refuge as we took in the sights.

The Merced Refuge was filled with ducks and geese who never strayed too far from their roost in the water. Both refuges were worth the early morning shivers to visit.