Get ready for a little shake-up if you’re planning a visit to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. The Visitors Center will be closed from July 28 to September 8, and while the exact reasons haven’t been disclosed, it’s a good time to get your hiking boots ready and explore some trails. After all, who needs a center when you have nature’s buffet right outside?

 

One can’t help but wonder what the staff at the center are up to during this closure. Perhaps they’re getting their hands dirty, sprucing up the exhibits, or maybe even plotting a top-secret overhaul of the space. Who knows? Perhaps they’re off training for the next wildlife expert Olympics. Whatever it is, let’s hope it’s got something to do with improving our experience upon reopening.

In the meantime, if you were looking forward to the center for tips and guidance, it might be time to channel your inner adventurer. Grab that compass, consult your smartphone, or simply follow the sound of nature’s call, because there’s a whole world waiting outside those doors. Who needs a Visitors Center when we can all become wildlife experts on our own?

What’s your favorite outdoor spot when a coveted destination is closed? Share your secret hideaways below, and let’s keep exploring