Wildlife driving tours

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge: In the Sacramento Valley, take Interstate 5 north to the exit for County Road 68 (north of Maxwell, south of Willows). Go east to the stop sign at Old Highway 99 (east side frontage road of I-5). Turn left and drive 1.5 miles to the signed refuge entrance road on the right. Bear right on the driving tour (signed). Drive slowly and work your way along the horseshoe-shaped route around the refuge. 6-mile loop. Colusa National Wildlife Refuge: In the Sacramento Valley, take I-5 to Williams and the exit for Highway 20 east. At the stop sign, turn right on Highway 20 and drive 6.7 miles (past Lonestar Road) to the signed exit for the driving tour on the right at O’Hair Road. Turn right and drive about 1 mile to the refuge driving tour entrance on the right. 3-mile loop. Contact for refuges: U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, (530) 9342801; www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento. Grizzly Island Wildlife Area: Open to public in early February. From the greater Bay Area, take Interstate 80 east to Fairfield and the exit for Highway 12/Rio Vista. Drive east on Highway 12 for 4.3 miles to Suisun City and the stoplight at Grizzly Island Road. Turn right and drive 9.5 miles to the Department of Fish and Wildlife check-in station (get a map here). 15 miles, out and back. Contact for wildlife area: Grizzly Island Wildlife Area (707) 425-3828; California Department of Fish and Wildlife, www.wildlife.ca.gov/Lands Federal duck stamp: $25, of which 98 cents of every dollar goes to the purchase of wetlands; provides free access to all National wildlife refuges; available at www.duckstamp.com.