Chase Lake Wilderness

The Chase Lake Wilderness comprises 95% of the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to one of North America's largest nesting colonies of American white pelicans. Nearly one-third of the continental population of these birds nest at this Refuge, with the nesting colony fluctuating year to year anywhere from 4,000 to 35,000 birds. This is especially impressive given that only 50 birds inhabited the region when it was first protected in 1908. It is a significant location for other waterbird colonies in the northern plains, including cattle egrets, snowy egrets, great egrets, double-crested cormorants, black-crowned night herons, little blue herons, white-faced ibis, glossy ibis, California gulls, and ring-billed gulls. The Refuge lies on the Missouri Coteau, a geographic area with sharp rolling hills and thousands of various-sized wetlands. The lake itself occupies more than half of the area, while the remaining land consists of grassland and wetland, with very few trees. The grassland areas are a mix of short and mid-grass prairie, dominated by blue grama, green needlegrass, and many wildflowers. Access to this Refuge is limited. Some areas are open to wildlife viewing, photography, hiking, and hunting, though special permission from the Refuge Manager is required. Birders can observe from a rise near the lake, but access to the islands is strictly prohibited.