Handy Brake National Wildlife Refuge

About Handy Brake National Wildlife Refuge

Handy Brake National Wildlife Refuge is located just north of Bastrop in Morehouse Parish, north central Louisiana. The refuge was established in 1988 with the southeast's first fee title transfer of a Farmer's Home Administration tract (466 acres) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A free lease of 38 acres from International Paper Company increased the refuge to the current 501 acres. An observation platform overlooks a permanent wetland, which is excellent habitat for wintering waterfowl, wading birds and many other wetland dependent species.

How to Get There

To reach Handy Brake NWR, take U.S. Hwy 165 into Bastrop, Louisiana. East of the courthouse square and after the divided lanes have merged, turn north onto Cooper Lake Road. Travel approximately 6 miles and look for refuge sign on the east side of the road.

Plan Your Visit to Handy Brake National Wildlife Refuge

Heading to Handy Brake National Wildlife Refuge? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)