The Blue Goose is the symbol of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System, a 

network of lands and waters managed for the 

benefit of wildlife and people.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Swan River

National Wildlife Refuge

Public Use Opportunities

Accessibility

Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from 

programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service is available to all individuals regardless of 

physical or mental ability. For more information please 

contact the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Equal 

Opportunity, www.doi.gov/accessibility. 

Swan River National Wildlife Refuge

922 Bootlegger Trail

Great Falls, MT 59404

406-727-7400 

swanriver@fws.gov

www.fws.gov/refuge/swan-river

For State Relay Service

TTY / Voice: 711

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

www.fws.gov

For Refuge Information

1-800-344-WILD 

April 2022

Welcome 

Swan River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was 

established in 1973 to be managed for the benefit of 

migratory birds.

The 1,961-acre Refuge is part of the Western Montana 

NWR Complex and is administered by the Refuge staff 

at Benton Lake NWR, which is located just north of 

Great Falls, Montana. 

General Information

Swan River NWR is open 1 hour before sunrise to 

one-half hour after sunset. See exception in hunting 

regulations table.

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are allowed on 

the entire Refuge.

Motorized vehicle use is restricted to Forest Service 

Road 9714. Note that Bog Road is closed to all 

motorized vehicles west of the parking area. 

Boating is allowed on Swan River. Note though, that 

this section of the river is classified as a no-wake zone.

Pets must be on a leash and attended at all times. 

Hunting dogs are permitted off-leash in the hunt area 

during waterfowl hunting season. 

The Refuge provides habitat for over 200 species of 

birds, including 23 species of waterfowl. You may see 

mallard, cinnamon teal, blue-winged teal, common 

goldeneye, and trumpeter swans. In addition, you may 

observe grizzly or black bear, deer, elk, and moose. 

The Swan and Mission Mountain Ranges provide 

important habitat for grizzly bears. The Refuge is an 

important corridor between these two ecosystems and 

bears are regularly observed on the Refuge. 

The Refuge is in bear country. Be prepared for bear 

encounters - carry and keep bear spray readily 

available. For additional safety tips, visit: 

https://bebearaware.org/bear-safety-tips/.

Prohibited Activities 

• Possession of a controlled substance or 

consumption of alcohol.

• Snowmobiles and ATVs.

• Camping and fires.

• Collecting or removing artifacts, historic items, shed 

antlers, and other natural objects.

• Horseback riding.

• Trapping.

• Use of electronic or photographic trail monitoring 

devices.

• Marking or flagging any tree or other Refuge feature 

with reflectors, paint, or other substance.

• Permanent tree stands, nails, screw-in steps, or other 

items that penetrate the outer bark of a tree.

Firearms

Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying 

firearms on National Wildlife Refuge System lands 

must comply with all provisions of State and local 

law. Persons may only use (discharge) firearms in 

accordance with refuge regulations (50 CFR 27.42 and 

specific refuge regulations in 50 CFR Part 32.)

Wildlife Observation and Photography

Visitors are encouraged to observe and photograph 

wildlife, and hike on the Bog Road and Tollefson Trails 

year-round.

Hunting and Fishing Regulations 

Hunting and fishing are permitted in accordance with 

Federal regulations governing public use on National 

Wildlife Refuges as set forth in Title 50 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations.

Hunting and fishing are allowed on the Refuge in 

accordance with State regulations and the Refugespecific regulations in this brochure. 

Hunting Regulations Table 

Hunting is in accordance with State regulations. In addition, Refuge-specific regulations must be followed, and are 

listed in the table below and described in this brochure.

Activity Season Dates Hunt Areas Other Regulations

Black bear 

(Archery Only)

Fall Season Refuge-wide Hunter access is allowed 2 hours before sunrise until 2 

hours after sunset.

Portable tree stands are allowed from August 1 through 

December 15.

Elk, mule deer, 

white-tailed deer 

(Archery Only)

State regulations 

apply

Refuge-wide Hunter access is allowed 2 hours before sunrise until 2 

hours after sunset.

Portable tree stands are allowed from August 1 through 

December 15.

Waterfowl State regulations 

apply

See map Hunter access is allowed 2 hours before sunrise until 2 

hours after sunset. 

Non-toxic shot is required for all waterfowl hunting.

Portable blinds and decoys must be removed at the end of 

each day’s hunt. 
S

wan

River

Swan Lake

83

Bog Road Trail

Spring Creek

Lime Creek

Porcupine Creek Road

Mile

0 .5 1

0 .5 1

Kilometer

83

N

Tollefson Trail

USFS Road 9714

Swan River

National Wildlife Refuge

Refuge boundary

State highway

Gravel road

Walking trail

Tollefson Trail (no hunting 

within 100 yards)

Wetlands

Open to waterfowl and big

game archery hunting

Open to big game archery 

hunting (Fall only)

Linked symbols designate

accessible features

Parking

Wildlife viewing platform

U.S. Forest Service

boat ramp

U.S. Forest Service 

campground

83

Condon

Ronan

Polson

Kalispell

Bigfork

Lakeside

Not to scale

South Fork Flathead River

Swan River

Swan River

NWR

93

93

 83

Flathead 

Lake

Swan

Lake

Hungry Horse 

Reservoir

Big Game Hunting 

Big game archery hunting for black bear, deer, and elk 

is allowed on all of Swan River NWR. See the map for 

locations of open waterfowl hunt areas. 

• No hunting or shooting is allowed within 100 yards 

of Refuge roads, trails, parking areas, or observation 

platforms.

• Temporary and portable blinds or blinds constructed 

of natural dead or down vegetation may be used.

• All blinds are available on a first-come first-served 

basis, regardless of who built the blind.

• All boats, decoys, portable blinds, other personal 

property, and any materials brought onto the Refuge 

for blind construction must be removed at the end of 

the day.

• Tree stands may be installed no sooner than August 1 

and must be removed by December 15.

• Each hunter is allowed one stand or blind which must 

have the hunters Automated Licensing System (ALS) 

number visibly marked on the stand or blind.

• Stands or blinds must be placed a minimum of 

100 yards from the Tollefson Trail, as shown on map.

• Game carts or boats may be used for big game 

retrieval.

Waterfowl Hunting

The Refuge is open to waterfowl hunting per the 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Hunting Regulations 

and Refuge-specific regulations. Portions of the 

Refuge are open to waterfowl hunting (see map for 

waterfowl hunt area).

Waterfowl blinds may not be built on the Refuge 

prior to the opening day of waterfowl season.

Fishing

Fishing is allowed per State Regulations on Swan 

Lake, Swan River, and Spring Creek north of Bog 

Road trail.