Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
246 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in El Refugio
More than half of El Refugio’s land is conserved: 60%
60% of El Refugio’s land is conserved, about 250 acres. The biggest trail networks: Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (0.5 mi). 1.1 miles of mapped trail cross El Refugio, 1.8 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
60%
250 acres · of 0.6 sq mi of land
Trails
1.1 mi
1.8 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, with 0.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
250 conserved acres
60% of El Refugio’s land. Who manages El Refugio’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service499 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 499 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 499 | Restricted |
When to get out
The walking year in El Refugio
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.7 | 11.2 | 11.9 | 12.8 | 13.4 | 13.8 | 13.6 | 13.1 | 12.3 | 11.5 | 10.8 | 10.5 |
| High (°F) | 71 | 76 | 83 | 89 | 94 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 94 | 89 | 79 | 72 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
February is the driest month (0.8 in) and August the warmest (highs of 100 °F). 4.4 inches fall in September, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 100 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in El Refugio →
Questions about parks and trails in El Refugio
Where can I hike in El Refugio?
The longest trail networks: Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, 0.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on El Refugio’s trails?
Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near El Refugio?
170 acres of parks and open public land lie inside El Refugio or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), almost none of it inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from El Refugio neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →