Desert National Wildlife Refuge

10/01/2026

As of October 1, 2026, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions have been lifted in Southern Nevada. Please visit https://www.nevadafireinfo.org/ for year-round restrictions for the region.

At Desert NWR, campfires are permitted in established areas. You are required to bring all of your own firewood – the downed wood provides habitat for wildlife and returns nutrients to the soil. Cutting or collecting live or dead vegetation is prohibited. Please note that campfires are prohibited in the backcountry, including the Hidden Forest Cabin. Backpacking stoves are allowed.

09/21/2026

Volunteer needed at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge! If you have a trailer or RV, this is a wonderful opportunity to live in the Mojave Desert's most unique environments.

Are you looking for a new volunteer adventure at the largest remaining oasis in the Mojave Desert? 🏜

Ash Meadows has an immediate opening for a Visitor Center Host volunteer position. This is a residential position that runs from September-November 2026, and volunteers receive an RV pad, hook ups, laundry, and WI-FI. For more information or to apply, visit Volunteer.gov.

https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volopprecord?listing=a09SJ00000RIvMrYAL
Or search for "Ash Meadows NWR - Visitor Center Host (3 months) - Immediate opening!"

Photo of volunteer Sandy Andrews at the Ash Meadows Visitor Center: E. Humphreys/USFWS

09/09/2026

We see these cute guys around Corn Creek a lot. Take inspiration from nature for your next Halloween costume. 🤩

Thinking about updating your wardrobe? Look no further than the California kingsnake! 🐍

Those black‑and‑white stripes aren’t just last year's Halloween costume. This banded pattern helps break up their outline in dappled light, giving them excellent camouflage as they cruise through desert shrubs and boardwalk edges. High fashion and function—very kingsnake of them.

Kingsnakes don’t just look cool, but they also eat other snakes… including venomous species! Thanks to a specialized hunting technique and a resistance to snake venoms, they can safely take down rattlesnakes and other serpent competitors. Talk about confidence.

So, if you want to “steal his look,” grab your black‑and‑white striped shirt and some serious attitude. But maybe leave the snake‑eating to the professionals. 🖤🤍🐍

Photo of California kingsnake: USFWS/R. Colvin

08/27/2026

Visitor Alert! Edited 1:45pm, 8/27/26: The Corn Creek visitor center will be open normal hours tomorrow (Friday) 8:00am-3:00pm.

08/06/2026

We have begun recruiting for a Biological Technician position at Desert National Wildlife Refuge! This position will support restoration planting, invasive plant management, and outplant care. This position is hired through Great Basin Institute. For more information or to apply, please visit https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/portal/A1ADEF5691B02D64E998539442696918/jobs/418821

08/06/2026

Is the sweltering summer heat becoming utterly unbearable, making it difficult to even step outside? 🌡️ Are the scorching temperatures making you feel like seeking refuge in the nearest air-conditioned space? Well, you're not alone! Our friends, the chuckwallas, are taking refuge in rock cracks and crevices until further notice, and we can't blame them! 😂 Join us at the Corn Creek Visitor Center on Saturday, August 8th from 10 am- 12 pm and create your own wildlife-inspired paper fan to stay cool and beat the heat.🎨 You'll get to learn about the amazing adaptations of desert creatures, like the chuckwallas, and how they survive in these extreme temperatures. Plus, take home your very own handmade fan to keep you cool all summer long! Photo Credit: John Heil/USFWS

07/31/2026

The sidewinder is taking shape! Artist Tala Cox continues exploring Mojave animals and insects this Saturday at the Corn Creek visitor center. Drop by her table to learn more about her art and the animals that inspire it!

07/30/2026

Never to early to think about Halloween costumes!

The white-lined sphinx moth is one of the desert’s most remarkable nighttime pollinators—often mistaken for a small hummingbird as it hovers in place to feed. Using its long, straw-like proboscis, it can reach deep into tubular flowers that some insects can’t access.

Primarily nocturnal, their antennae help the moths navigate low light and detect scents, guiding them toward nectar-rich blooms even after sunset. These strong fliers spend much of the evening darting from flower to flower, making them important partners in desert pollination.

Like all moths, the white-lined sphinx moth goes through a complete metamorphosis: from egg to caterpillar, then into a pupa buried in the soil, and finally emerging as the fast-flying adult we see during spring. If you visited Death Valley National Park during this year's wildflower bloom, you may have seen many of these caterpillars munching on wildflowers and even marching on park sidewalks.🐛

Photo of white-lined sphinx moth: R. Colvin/USFWS

07/25/2026

Escape the heat with refuge staff at the Corn Creek Visitor Center on Saturday, August 8th, from 10am-12pm for a creative drop-in activity to craft your own wildlife-inspired paper fan. Discover how desert plants and animals adapt to survive in summer’s extreme conditions!

07/18/2026

Want see how this mask turns into a sidewinder? Slither your way to Tala Cox's Mojave Mask table this Saturday to see! Her other Mojave creations will also be on display.

Did you know that the sidewinders unique style of moving not only helps it move fast but also helps it stay cool by reducing the time it's body touches the hot ground?