Hike-in Required
No
Open Year-round
Yes
ADA accessible
No
Guided tours
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

There is a small grass covered parking area that is roped off on the northern edge of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge that provides great viewing of sandhill cranes either leaving or returning to their nightly roosting spot. The parking lot is located on County Highway 70 (22nd Street) 0.7 miles west of 313th Avenue. This is about 10 miles west of the city of Princeton.

Late October and early November are the best times to view the sandhill cranes as they prepare for their migration south. During peak times, there are thousands of cranes that roost at the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. In the morning the cranes leave the roosting area and fly to nearby fields in search of food. For those visiting in the morning, it is best to arrive around sunrise; in the evening arrive about an hour before sunset. The cranes are easy to hear and to spot, sometimes flying directly overhead.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Fall

Parking Pass

None

Pros

Nice sandhill crane viewing area.

Cons

Parking lot is small.

Pets allowed

Allowed with Restrictions

Features

Family friendly
Bird watching

Location

Comments

Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.