4A PIKE PUBLISHING BACKYARD ADVENTURES 2019
PATOKA RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
With more than 10,000 acres of public land
straddling the Pike-Gibson line, Patoka River
National Wildlife Refuge can be intimidating to
the uninitiated, as the main goal of the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service is to use the land to protect
and restore habitats, but the 11 miles of hiking
trails do offer unique biodiversity found in few
other places in Indiana, making the effort to
discover the refuge worthwhile.
"There's not a refuge in everyone's backyard.
There's only three in Indiana," said Refuge Man-
ager Heath Hamilton. "Biodiversity—the life
that can live there—is tremendous."
Continue reading for a guide to making the
most of your trip to one of the wildest and most
remote areas in this part of the state.
STORY BY JANICE BARNIAK
WILDLIFE PHOTOS
BY JEREMY ROSS
LANDSCAPE PHOTOS
BY ERIC GOGEL
Wonders
Wild
Refuge makes wildlife accessible to all
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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Bald
Eagle
Mallard
Buckeye
Butterfly
