Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1931, is located 28 miles north of Oshkosh, Nebraska in Garden County at the southwestern end of the Nebraska Sandhills. It is administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as part of the Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and is within the Central Flyway. There are 21 wetland complexes on the Refuge which comprise approximately 18 percent of the total acreage. These wetlands are a mixture of shallow lakes, marshes, seasonal wetlands, wet meadows and a small stream resulting from Refuge management activities. The Nebraska Sandhills are one of the few large native prairie areas in the United States that have not been substantially converted to farmland or otherwise modified. Thus, most of the plant and animal species present before settlement began, are still present today.

A sea of grass in a sea of grass, Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established under Executive Order 5597 to serve as "a refuge and breeding ground for birds and wild animals,” particularly migratory birds.

Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge provides numerous recreational opportunities to thousands of visitors every year. Whether boating, driving, hunting, fishing or walking, visitors enjoy viewing the unique geology and diverse wildlife found here such as the burrowing owl. Regulation of recreational activities allows for public enjoyment of the Refuge while still protecting the wildlife and their habitats.