Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee

National Wildlife Refuge

Welcome to Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee

National Wildlife Refuge, 143,874 acres or 221

square miles, one of over 540 national wildlife

refuges that form a network of United States lands

and waters managed specifically for wildlife.

Refuges provide habitat — food, water, cover, and

space — for millions of migratory birds, over 70

endangered species, and thousands of other species

of native plants and animals.

The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National

Wildlife Refuge provides habitat and protection for

endangered and threatened wildlife such as the

American alligator, snail kite, and wood stork.

Migratory birds such as neotropical songbirds,

secretive marsh birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl

winter at the refuge along with year-round resident

herons, egrets, and ibis.

Through refuge programs and facilities, visitors can

enjoy a variety of educational and wildlife-oriented

recreational opportunities. Contact the refuge office

for teaching pavilion (chickee) reservations for

educational group visits. Public access is available

at both the Headquarters Area (off US 441/SR 7)

and the Hillsboro Area (at the west end of

Loxahatchee Road). The refuge is open to the

public from sunrise to sunset every day of the year.

Hours are posted at each entrance. The Visitor

Center is open 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday through

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9:00 am - 4:30 pm,

mid-October through April; Wednesday through

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9:00 am - 4:30 pm the

rest of the year. The center is closed December 25.

An entrance fee of $5 per vehicle or $1 per

pedestrian is charged daily. Golden Age, Golden

Access, Golden Eagle, and Duck Stamp annual

passes are available upon request. A $12 Refuge

Specific Annual Pass and a $15 Golden Eagle

Hologram for National Park Service pass upgrades

are also available. Entrance fees apply at both

refuge entrances.

Special Events

Everglades Day

2nd Saturday in February

International Migratory Bird Day

2nd Saturday in May

Kid’s Fishing Day - National Fishing Week

2nd Saturday in June

National Wildlife Refuge Week

2nd week of October

Calendar of Events Activities

November through April

Waterfowl Hunting

November through January on specified days

(must obtain permit)

Facilities

Headquarters Area

Visitor Center (561/734 8303), Administration

Offices, Cypress Swamp Boardwalk, Marsh Trail,

Everglades Canoe Trail, observation towers, boat

ramps, and bank fishing along the L-40 canal.

Biking trail south along the L-40. Management

Compartment C is made up of ten individual wildlife

management impoundments, numbered 1-10. The

Marsh Trail (C-7) is 0.8 miles around, and it is one

mile from the Administration (Headquarters)

Building to the C-30 canal. Grass levees facilitate

walking around impoundments.

Hillsboro Area

Interpretive displays, four boat ramps, and bank

fishing. Hiking north along the L-40 and west along

the L-39 to the S-6 pump station. Biking trail north

along the L-40. Mountain or hybrid bicycles are

recommended. Canoeing, boating, and kayaking in

public use area.

20-Mile Bend Area

Boat ramp, fishing platform, bank fishing, and

interpretive kiosk.

Activities

Permitted activities are allowed only in designated

public use areas. Activities which are not

specifically permitted are prohibited, including

collecting of all plants, animals, and artifacts.

Additional information concerning recreational

activities, refuge programs and facilities is available

at the Visitor Center.

Permitted

■ Entry only during posted hours and only at

Headquarters Area and Hillsboro Area

entrances. Closing times are strictly enforced.

■ Hiking, wildlife observation, and photography

only in areas open to public use and on

designated trails. Hiking is permitted from the

Headquarters Area north to Acme 1 pump

station, south to the Hillsboro Area, and west to

the S6 pump station. There is no entry or exit at

the Acme pump stations.

■ Boating, canoeing, and kayaking in canals and

public use area except for Management

Compartment C and those areas marked as being

closed to the public. U.S. Coast Guard, state, and

refuge regulations apply. All Coast Guard

regulations apply pertaining to boat speeds. There

is a minimum wake slow speed zone at each boat

launch area.

■ Biking is permitted along the L-40 levee from the

Headquarters Area to the Hillsboro Area. The 12-

mile trail is recommended for mountain and

hybrid bikes. It is recommended that you bring

water, helmet, sunscreen and light snacks. There

is no shelter along the levee.

■ Sport fishing permitted in the L-40 perimeter

canal and public use area of the interior except

for the Management Compartment C and those

areas posted as closed to the public. Only the use

of rods and reels or poles and lines is permitted,

and they must be attended at all times. State and

refuge regulations apply.

■ Waterfowl hunting by permit only in designated

area. Special refuge dates, times, and

regulations apply. Call the administrative office

at 561/732 3684 for permit information.

Prohibited

■ Feeding, enticing or disturbing alligators and all

other wildlife.

■ Firearms or weapons of any type, except

approved firearms used in conjunction with the

refuge waterfowl hunt. These weapons must be

unloaded and encased when not hunting.

■ Pets of any kind.

■ Possession or use of trotlines, jugs, gigs, seines,

cast nets or other fishing devices not described as

permitted, and commercial fishing of any kind.

■ Harassment, taking, or injury of all plants or

animals other than legally taken fish or waterfowl.

■ Release of any animals or plants.

■ Motorcycles, ATVs, or other motorized vehicles

of any type on levees.

■ Airboats, Jet Skis, Wave Runners, Go Devils,

Hovercrafts.

■ Fires of any type, picnicking, camping, night use,

or spotlighting.

■ Entry into areas posted as closed.

■ Swimming, water skiing, scuba diving, or

snorkeling.

■ Motorized watercraft on canoe trail.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

For Your Safety

■ Be prepared to observe regulations concerning:

posted hours, closed areas, fishing or hunting

license requirements, boat registration, life

jackets, and other required safety equipment.

■ Do not leave valuables in your vehicle.

■ Allow time to return to your vehicle and leave the

area before posted closing time.

■ If canoeing or boating, carry insect repellant,

water, foul weather clothing, U.S. Coast Guard

approved safety equipment, and an emergency

light. If lost or disabled, stay with your boat and

attempt to reach the main canal. Display

emergency light after dark. Remember, floating

vegetation and changing water levels can block

canals and hide boat trails.

■ Tell a relative or friend where you are going and

when you should return. The emergency number

for the refuge is 561/936 4100. The refuge may

also be monitoring Marine Channel 16.

A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

10216 Lee Road

Boynton Beach, FL 33437-4796

561/734 8303 (Visitor Center)

561/732 3684 (Administrative Office)

http://Loxahatchee.fws.gov

Emergencies: 561/936 4100 or 911

Al Suhr

USFWS

L. Chapman

M Bailey J Kleen

Betty Wargo

USFWS
A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

The “blue goose” is

the symbol of the

National Wildlife

Refuge System whose

mission is to

administer a national

network of lands and

waters for

conservation,

management, and

where appropriate,

restoration of the fish,

wildlife, and plant

resources and their

habitats within the

United States for the

benefit of present and

future generations of

Americans.

827

Levee 39

Loxahatchee

Road

Hillsboro

Canal

To US 441

Levee 40

Water

Conservation

Area 2

Managed by 

the State

Water

Conservation

Area 1

A.R.M. Loxahatchee 

NWR

Hillsboro Area

D

A

B

C

Canal and 

Levee 7

20-Mile

Bend Area

Canal and

Levee 40

Ross'

Structure

Strazzula

Marsh

Stormwater

Treatment

Area

 One

 East

Stormwater 

Treatment

Area One

West

Acme 1

Acme 2

S-5A

G251

G310

Hillsboro

Canal and

Levee 39

S-10C

Lake Worth

Drainage

District

Control Gate

S-10A S-39

S-10E

S-10D

Hillsboro

Area

Closed to Public Use

Open to Public Use

and Waterfowl hunting

98

Forest Hill Boulevard

Lake Worth Road

Lantana Road

Florida

Turnpike

Boynton Beach Boulevard

Atlantic Avenue

Glades Road

Southern Boulevard

Lee Road

802

804

806

808

PALM BEACH COUNTY

BROWARD COUNTY 827

Loxahatchee

Road Hillsboro

Blvd.

95

95

812

441

882

441

N

0 Miles 1

0 Kilo 1

Headquarters

Area 12 miles 13.4 miles

11.4 miles

6 miles

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

To SR 80/US 98

Water 

Conservation

Area 1

20-Mile Bend Area

441

LILA

Loxahatchee Impoundment

Landscape Assessment

Residence Area, 

B-1 and B-3 closed to public

Headquarters Area

Management Compartment C

Cypress swamp

Strazzulla

Marsh

Acme 1

Hillsboro 

Area

Lee

Road

L-40

Levee

C-30

Canal

C-1 C-6

C-2w C-2e C-7

C-8

C-9

C-5 C-10

Open to public 

use and 

waterfowl hunting

Closed to public use

Canal 

Refuge boundary

Canoeing

Management 

compartments

Portable restrooms

Viewing platform

Administration office

Visitor center

Informational kiosk

ABCD

Bike trail

Walking trails

Observation 

tower

Parking

Boat ramp

Fishing

Pump structure

Water control 

structure

Bench

Chickee

Legend