Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
More than 5000 acres of marshes, grasslands and wooded areas are home to more than one hundred species of birds, waterfowl and fish. Two trails and a loop road provide public access to this serene area just a few miles west of I-5. Spring and fall are the best seasons to see migrating songbirds and shorebirds, but summer offers the additional attraction of the barrier-free Kiwa Loop Trail. Even in winter, there are plenty of birds to view.
The Oaks to Wetlands Trail is open year-round and provides several options for loops of up to two miles. Depending on the season, you can view sandhill cranes, songbirds, migrating Canadian geese, swans, hawks, and more at the Refuge. One of the highlights of this trail is the opportunity to admire the towering old growth Oregon White Oaks. The Kiwa Trail, open from May 1 - September 30, is a flat trail of crushed gravel or boardwalk, suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. It features Oregon ash, which are nesting homes to a number of birds. It is closed in winter to provide quiet for nesting winter waterfowl. Learn more about the trails, including downloadable maps, at: http://www.fws.gov/[…]/recreation%20trails.html.
Driving Directions:
From I-5, take Exit 14, on Pioneer Street go west into the town of Ridgefield until Pioneer Street 'T's' with Main Avenue. Take a right turn on Main Avenue and proceed north for 1 mile. The refuge entrance road is located on the left side of the road. $3/vehicle entry fee. Recent Trip Reports
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Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
— Apr 18, 2011
— el tigre
Day hike
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Nearly the first spring-like day of the year (finally) so the kids and I seized the opportunity to g...
Nearly the first spring-like day of the year (finally) so the kids and I seized the opportunity to get outside.
This is a surprisingly quiet, and quite dignified little wildlife refuge. Two other parties on the trail in 2 hours. A couple of trains passing by. The trail is excellent. Some of it was resurfaced in the last year, most is well-packed dirt, boardwalks, a couple of small bridges. No muddy spots to speak of despite our wet winter and spring. Wildlife: at least a dozen snakes, several redbirds, and 2 bald eagles gliding overhead. Hike is not accessible but very easy, my 18 month old hiked the entire 2 miles (scrambling with his hands up a couple of little hills). Of note, it's also warmer down near the water than up near I-5, and not windy, a good thing to keep in mind for these spring days where the weather can still turn on a dime. A pleasant surprise, will definitely be back. Day hike
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Water on trail
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June might be Ridgefield's off-season, but there was still some wildlife to be found. As a tri-gener...
June might be Ridgefield's off-season, but there was still some wildlife to be found. As a tri-generational nature walk, it was heavy on the nature and light on the walking (because of our two-year old, not because of her grandparents). We found a break in the day's pounding rain and sampled the Carty Unit's oak savanna, wetlands, and old Doug fir forests and saw a bedraggled bald eagle, an immature great horned (we think) owl, and my favorite, the really, really fat Oregon oaks. I'd love to know how old they are. This is a great wildlife area despite huge patches of invasive blackberry, and I look forward to visiting when the wetlands actually contain waterfowl.
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 Oregon Oak at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Jon Baldivieso.
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