Marais de Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge

Welcome to Marais de Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, a bottomland hardwood forest oasis located about 40 miles south of Kansas City.

Refuge History: Marais de Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1992 and is named for the Marais de Cygnes River which flows through it. Marais de Cygnes is a French term for “marsh of the swans.” Many of the farms and homesteads that were once located on this refuge were destroyed during the Civil War and their remains are still evident today. In the 1970’s a coal mining company purchased the land but ended up selling it when high sulfur coal went down in value.

Wildlife: The bottomland hardwood forests, hickory forests, tallgrass prairies, and wetlands of Marais de Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge help protect the home of numerous wild critters including otters, bobcats, deer, squirrels, rabbits, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, hawks, and paddlefish. Please treat their home with respect.

For the lover of the outdoors this refuge boasts ponds stocked with bass, crappie, sunfish, catfish, and walleyes, awesome wildlife viewing opportunities, and so much more. Come on out and have a blast!