Named for a local and national conservationist, the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge stretches across the Noxubee River Valley in east-central Mississippi. Its informative Visitor Center, fine trail network and multiple boardwalks make it seem more like a State Park than a NWR.
The damming of Oktoc and Loakfoma Creeks has created two sizable lakes, bordered by forest and baldcypress swamps. A restored prairie augments the natural diversity and offers a spectacular view of the lakes. Bald eagles, ospreys, migrant waterfowl, cormorants, barred owls, red-cockaded woodpeckers and a wide variety of waders highlight the avian population; alligators, river otters, bobcats, fox, beaver, white-tailed deer and a host of snakes and turtles may also be encountered.
Mild weather and bright sunshine made our visit especially enjoyable. It was also rewarding to learn that this large, attractive refuge honors a man who dedicated his life to protecting natural ecosystems.
