Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Lowell: Part 1

Call it near mid-term blues or plowing through a third major Jewish holiday of the season or the full moon or a short week from school for the kids (or all of it!!!), the week of October 1st was a stressful one for me. As the old saying goes, 'If mama aint happy, no one is happy.' This is sad, but true and that week took a lot out of me. Shlomo has been working at Linder Farms near Kuna as a tractor driver, so I am playing the role of student, full time working, sometimes single mom to four busy kids and I really wanted to have a family outing that would force me to take a break. Since dad was out of the picture for the day driving his tractor, I called my mom who was up to the challenge.

I decided to take the family to one of my favorite places, Lake Lowell and the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. Both are located west of Nampa and is a very popular attraction in Canyon County.

Briefly, Lake Lowell is part of the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge which is about 11,000 acres of land and water protecting animal habitat. This area is well known for the bird populations that migrate through and also keep permanent residence there. Lake Lowell is a completely man-made lake. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website, the reservoir building began in 1906 to provide the water needed to irrigate crops in the western end of the Treasure Valley. Lake Lowell is one of the largest off stream reservoirs in the American west. In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt created the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge at Lake Lowell after realizing that a large lake in the desert was going to attract a lot of wildlife. The Refuge now has a Visitor Center and recreation areas located around the lake for use.

The best part? It is all free!

Visitor Center

The Visitor Center is located north of Lake Lowell. Following the paved road from the corner of Roosevelt and Indiana Avenue, I loved the feeling of leaving the mundane of Nampa into the quiet oasis of the Visitor Center. You are welcomed into the center by a couple of litter monsters. The monsters were made from some of the litter found in and around the lake. Point made, toss that litter in the trash! 

It is like a game of 'I Spy'. 

We were immediately welcomed by the center staff and given a short overview of the things the kids might like to look at. The staff occasionally checked in with us and talked to the kids. It was nice to have interaction with them and also giving us space to explore on own. The center is small and has plenty for children of all ages to do and explore.

Display of wildlife found at the refuge

Looking at the fish found in Lake Lowell

 There was a movie about the founding of the National Wildlife Refuge system and the migratory birds that come through the area. I was impressed that the center provided a variety of ways to learn about the Refuge.

Learning about goose migration

One of the highlights of the center is a bird observation room. There is a telescope for viewing birds out in their nest boxes on the lake and also the song birds who are feeding on seeds and brush. They also have a live osprey cam you can watch, you can even check it out on the web and they even have a blog!

Blog: http://ospreycamdeerflatnwr.blogspot.com

Online Osprey-Cam: http://www2.fiberpipe.net/deerflat/ospreycam.asp

Even the youngest loved looking for birds!

Rashe looking for songbirds

Ezra with grandma, he was hoping for an osprey sighting

There is a cute area with plush birds so kids can learn and identify bird song. Ezra fell in love with the Red Winged Blackbird. They also have these song bird plushies for sale at the center gift shop! 

Ezra found his best friend!

My mom, who the kids call Beeba, loved this place. She has lived in this area all her life and has never visited the Refuge. She had a wonderful time doing the kids activities with her grand kids. The Visitor Center was scoring major points for everyone in the family.

Making rubbings of a butterfly.

Scoring points with more coloring!

Identifying tracks in the sand. 

The children's section also had puzzles, microscope and slides, and collected bird nests to inspect. There were a lot of touchy feelies like pelts, antlers, and feathers. I think the children's section was just as entertaining for adults as it was for the kids! They also had an impressive display of taxidermy and interpretive displays.

Zippy checking out a Snowy Owl.

The Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge also hosts a Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest, Reading at the Refuge, classroom field trips, lecture series, bird watching events, and I cannot emphasize the range in activities for all ages. The center also has a large display of brochures on bird watching around Lake Lowell and Idaho. They even have a bird watching brochure for children too! No matter what age you are, this is a must visit for the entire family and it is free! Although, I think you would score some major karma points if you put some green in the donation box :-)

My two year old was on a no-nap protest, so we decided to take her for a stroller ride on the walking paths around the Refuge before she had a complete meltdown. Some paths are paved for handicap access and there are plenty of approved off road paths too. All were easy to take a stroller on. While we were there we spotted a lot of Cottontail rabbits. My kids were thrilled! 

Cute dinners for large birds!

The walking path was a nice way to also view birds of prey that were hunting. I am sure they were spying those Cottontails from high above. My kids also put their newly found tracking skills learned at the Refuge to use. The paths had tracks of different critters and it was fun trying to identify them all. 

Deer!

The path also is an interpretive trail with history of the building of Lake Lowell and the wildlife found in the area. I love the age of my kids because they are so excited to read the markers to each other. 

Reading about Lake Lowell to each other. 

Doubt they got the double entendre ;-)

I let the kids take another trail system though the hills and read more of the markers. We saw more evidence of wildlife and their homes. The kids wanted to find a rabbit warren, but they got to see badger and ground squirrel holes instead. The Visitor Center has a scavenger hunt for families, but we did not have time to do it. The scavenger hunt is multi-media and they provide a camera, a great way to keep kids interested and learning while you are there.  We used the trail time to enjoy a beautiful autumn afternoon, it was so peaceful and quiet. 

Some of the local wildlife :-)

Part of the interpretive trail system and view of Lake Lowell

Exploring on their own

I highly recommend the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge for a fun, free, all-ages activity. There is plenty to do at the Visitor Center that makes it fun, educational, and the right amount of time if you have small children.
The interpretive walking trails are a nice compliment to the Visitor Center and my hopes is to make enough time to do the photography scavenger hunt with the kids.

What to bring/wear:
Stroller for tired little ones, plenty of water, sturdy walking shoes, wear pants, hat, sunscreen, binoculars, bird watching guide, (I am thinking bug spray too, but we have always lucked out and not had a problem with bugs), camera

Visitor Center hours:
Monday-Friday 8-4 P.M.
Saturday 10-4 P.M.
Closed Sundays and Federal Holidays

Cost:
Free!

Gift shop available for purchases.
Free brochures on bird watching and wildlife of Idaho

Upcoming events!
NWR Week Celebration: October 20th, 10 A.M.-2 P.M.
Family-oriented celebration for National Wildlife Refuge week with crafts, lectures, and ham radio operation.

Creepy Critters Encounters: October 27th, 4-6:30 P.M.
A fun Halloween event for kids and the kid at heart. Come in costume to see live owl, snake, and bugs. Learn about wildlife on a spooky hike and make crafts. Stay until dusk for owl and coyote sightings.

Taking a break from the hike. 

Sources:

Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge Site. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of Interior, Oct. 2012. Web. 13 Oct. 2012.