Located near Wadesboro, North Carolina, Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge offers hiking trails and a wildlife drive. Habitats include bottomland hardwood forests, pine forests, croplands, fields, creeks, ponds, lakes, and the Pee Dee River. While visiting the refuge, don’t miss Gaddy Covered Bridge in the northern section.
I have visited a couple of times and found tons of wonderful wildlife, especially if you enjoy birding. Over 180 species can be found here. In the peak migratory seasons (fall and winter), waterfowl populations can exceed 10,000 birds!
Wildlife Drive
The easiest way to get a feel for the refuge is to explore the 3-mile paved Wildlife Drive. It starts at the main entrance off Highway 52, passes the headquarters/station, circles the edge of the flooded impoundment, drives through the forest, and finally loops back near the entrance.
I had most of my wildlife encounters along the drive on my visits. In the impoundment area, I’ve seen Canada geese, song sparrows, swamp sparrows, common yellowthroats, yellow-rumped warblers, grackles, downy woodpeckers, and red-headed woodpeckers.
Turtles enjoyed sunlight while they lazed on rocks and fallen logs.
Sullivan Pond
Sullivan Pond is directly next to the headquarters. Each time I’ve visited there have been Canada geese and great blue herons in the water. Red-winged blackbirds perched on the cattails. Eastern bluebirds, blue grosbeaks, and chipping sparrows settled in the trees.
On my second visit, two small white-tailed deer fawns came up from around the pond. One was very adventurous and almost ran right into me before panicking and running into the trees.
Hiking Trails
There are four hiking trails in the refuge. Two Tall Pines hikes are next to the ranger station – one between Sullivan Pond and the Sullivan flooded impoundment on boardwalks and one farther in the woods. Across the main road, Brown Creek Nature Trail follows the creek and returns through the field. Finally, there is a short trail to view Gaddy Covered Bridge.
Tall Pines Boardwalks
These are a quarter mile of interconnected boardwalks along the impoundment.
From the boardwalks, I’ve seen fish crows, eastern towhees, woodpeckers, a turkey vulture, and green anole lizards.
Tall Pines Nature Trail
Tall Pines is a 0.75-mile trail. Hikers can start along Sullivan Pond or the small parking lot on the opposite side of the Wildlife Drive loop. Though technically an out-and-back route, much of the trail is two parallel tracks with two connector paths. It also connects to the boardwalks as well. On our first visit, we started at the headquarters and took the track closer to the pond out. Then we returned via the track closer to the impoundment and ended on the boardwalks.
We spotted cardinals, white-throated sparrows, and anole lizards here.
Brown Creek Nature Trail
Brown Creek Trail is a 0.26-mile loop. Follow the creek into the woods. The path will eventually turn and leave the woods to finish through the field across from the parking area.
In the field, I’ve seen common yellowthroats and eastern kingbirds.
Gaddy Covered Bridge Nature Trail
Gaddy Covered Bridge Trail’s full length is 0.7 miles; however, from the Covered Bridge parking area, it is a much shorter hike to the bridge. The dirt-and-gravel trail is relatively easy and flat. When we hiked it in March, trilliums were blooming along the trail.
The bridge is named for Lockhart Gaddy, a former hunter who created a ‘wild goose refuge’ in the 1930s.
Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge offers several activities without being overwhelming for visitors. I highly recommend it for a day trip to enjoy nature.