McFaddin

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge Directions to the Refuges From Houston: Take Interstate 10 east, toward Beaumont. Travel about 54 miles until you get to exit 828, and merge onto Texas highway 73 east toward Port Arthur. After about 25 miles, continue onto Texas highway 82 east. Approximately three miles after you get on 82 east, you will turn right on Texas highway 87 south. You will travel about 11 miles before arriving at the town of Sabine Pass. At the four-way stop, take a right and continue down highway 87 south. Continue on about 3 miles, until you reach the entrance to Texas Point NWR. The entrance to McFaddin NWR is about 12 miles past the Texas Point NWR main office, on highway 87. Introduction Established in 1980 and 1979, McFaddin NWR and Texas Point NWR supplies important feeding and resting habitat for migrating and wintering populations of waterfowl, as well as other wildlife. McFaddin NWR encompasses over 58,000 acres of coastal marsh bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Texas Point NWR containing approximately 8,900 acres. From October to March, thousands of geese feeding and resting in the marsh can be heard, if not actually seen. Refuge staff use a variety of tools to create and maintain a diversity of habitats for wildlife. Prescribed burning, grazing, water and salinity management, exotic plant control and wetland and upland restoration are just a few of the tools that are used to manage for healthy, productive and diverse ecosystems. Things to Do at the Refuges Wildlife Watching Between October and March, visitors to the Refuges are likely to see as many as 27 species of ducks, including greenwinged teal, gadwall, and mottled ducks. Huge flocks of snow geese, sometimes in excess of 80,000, feed in marshes, rice fields and moist soil units. During spring and fall, warblers and other songbirds can be found in small wooded areas, while shorebirds taking advantage of the sandy beach, mudflats and shallow water in moist soil units. Clam Lake Road Five miles of interior roads on McFaddin NWR provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, as well as access to various boat ramps, fishing piers, and observation platforms. Watch and listen for clapper rails in the marsh and geese overhead. Visitors should be aware that there are no fuel stations on or near the Refuge. Moist Soil Units These wetland units provide excellent habitat for a variety of species. During winter months, large concentrations of waterfowl can be found feeding on native plants. In the spring and summer, the units may be flooded to provide habitat for nesting waterfowl, as well as for migrating Beaumont 10 Houston 10 61 1985 Port Arthur 73 124 87 W 562 N 87 45 McFaddin NWR Galveston 288 o xic e M f fo Gul Freeport Texas Point NWR 0 shorebirds. Wading birds make use of these wetlands year-round. Wildlife in these moist soil units can be viewed from adjacent roads and overlooks. Fishing and Boating Two fishing piers on Ten-Mile Cut and five piers along Clam Lake provide excellent opportunities for fishing and crabbing. Surf fishing is also allowed on the refuge along the Gulf of Mexico. Fishing and crabbing are in accordance with State regulations and subject to the following regulations. Fishing and crabbing and allowed year-round in TenMile Cut, Clam Lake, Mud Bayou, Mud Lake, the beach along the Gulf of Mexico, and along roadside ditches open to the public. Fishing is allowed using pole and line, rod and reel, or hand-held line only. All lines must be removed when you are finished so that other wildlife does not become tangled in your lines. Cast-netting for bait for personal use along waterways in areas open to fishing is permitted. Fishing from or mooring to water control structures or bridges is prohibited, as well as harvesting fish or crabs for commercial purposes. The harvest of frogs, turtles, shrimp and oysters is prohibited. Five small boat ramps are available for launching small, shallow-draft boats only. Boat ramps are located at Clam Lake (2) Ten-Mile Cut, Five-Mile Cut, and Star Lake (hunt season use only). Outboard motor boats and non-motorized boats, with no more than 25 HP and 9-inch propeller, may be used to access Mud Bayou, Mud Lake, Ten-mile Cut, and Clam Lake year-round. Seasonal access between March 15th and August 31st for 25 50 Miles the Star Lake boat ramp. Non-motorized boats may be used to access Five-Mile Cut between March 15th and August 31st. Personal watercrafts are prohibited on the refuge. Hunting Waterfowl hunting is permitted in designated areas on the refuge. Hunters must contact refuge headquarters before the waterfowl hunt season begins, in order to obtain current hunting regulations and refuge permits. For additional information, contact McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge P.O. Box 358 Sabine Pass, TX 77655 409/971-2909 409/971-2104 Fax www.fws.gov/refuge/McFaddin/ August 2013 Great egret. / Ann Moore, USFWS W at er wa y Restrooms Wildlife Viewing Area Parking Area Boat Launch n I p N R o S N I Fishing Pier Accessible Area Seasonal Non-Motorized Boat Launch Between March 15 and August 31 Seasonal Boat Launch Between March 15 and August 31 Seasonal Wildlife Viewing Area Between March 15 and August 31 l ta as o c a r I t n lu f I Public Road Ten-mile Cut G p N N R Clam Lake Five-mile Cut S NR o R R Ro R N Cla m Star Lak ke La e e Lak o xic Me of f Gul N 1.5 0 87 Rd an em Wis I no 3 Miles McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge Jefferson, Chambers and Galveston Counties, Texas To Beaumont 69 lough 82 add F Mc Anahuac NWR ulf G of Texas Point NWR Salt o xic Me Salt I N yo Ba High Island 87 R W in N 82 ay rw n lf I Gu R R Clam Lake Fence Lake ut ile C m Ten- NR o RR o R N Dipping Vat Ponds n Io 87 ke Anahuac McFaddin NWR National Conservation Easement Wildlife Private Land Refuge 124 Mu d co Ba you Chambers County Galveston County High Island Mud Lake of f Gul 0 87 Lake Star La s a co tra te Wa tal Five-mile Cut p S N u Chambers County Jefferson County 1985 ke 87 Sabine Pass La LOUISIANA TEXAS Willow Lake ll Sabine Lake 73 124 124 ay rw ate Barnett lW Lake sta oa c a r t n lf I Gu e Sh 10 Winnie 10 To Houston Willow S 73 Port Arthur 1.5 3 4.5 xi Me N 6 MILES Revised: Jan 2009