Supporting the Big Muddy National
Fish and Wildlife Refuge
Members rest after gathering a boatload of trash along
the Missouri River
during the Missouri River Relief cleanup.
Friends of Big Muddy is a non-profit group which supports the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.
The refuge is being developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in units along the Missouri River between
St. Louis and Kansas City.
Our mission is to support the refuge by:
- Volunteering for various work day activities
- Promoting the refuge in the communities along the Missouri River
- Encouraging the restoration of the ecological habitat along the river
- Building public awareness and appreciation of the river and refuge
A junior member learns about pond life.
Created in 1994, the refuge presently includes eight units of up to 2,000 acres each, with almost 10,400 acres total, primarily in areas prone to chronic flooding. The refuge continues to grow as funding is available and more landowners approach the refuge to have their land purchased at fair market value.
Friends member hiking along the chute at the Lisbon Bottom Unit.
Volunteers and participants at the Big Brothers/Big Sisters fishing event (below).
Enjoying the Refuge: Tours, Hikes, & Floats
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is promoting recreational activities such as hiking, bird watching, fishing, and hunting while avoiding most intensive developments. They are providing parking areas and some trails in the refuge units. Contact the refuge office for more information.
We lead a variety of hikes and other outings to the refuge units, ranging from short hikes for all ages to longer hikes geared for the more adventuresome. There is also an annual canoe trip on the Missouri River and other activities. All of our adventures are open to the public. Contact us for more information on our upcoming activities.
If you support the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and what Friends of Big Muddy is doing, we encourage you to join us. We maintain an e-mail list to notify people of our upcoming activities. If you would like to be on that list, send us an e-mail at the address below.
Friends
of Big Muddy
4200 New Haven Road
Columbia, MO 65201
(573) 424-9051
friends@friendsofbigmuddy.org
Activities of Friends of Big Muddy:
- Lots of hikes and other activities to explore the refuge areas
See what activity is coming up next here!!
Contact us to learn more about these and other activities! We do maintain a Yahoo Group to e-mail information about our activities a week or two before they happen, so if you would like to get these messages, send an e-mail to: FriendsofBigMuddy-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.