State Parks and National Parks

Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge

Cathlamet, WA U.S.A.

P.O. Box 566
46 Steamboat Slough Road
Cathlamet, WA 98612
U.S.A.

360-795-3915

Open Year-Round

No Entry Fee Charged

State Park Information

Accessible only by boat, the Lewis and Clark refuge includes about a third of the Columbia River estuary in Oregon, about 20 islands, and 35,000 acres of sandbars, tidal marshes, mudflats. The estuary is a wintering and resting area for waterfowl that nest in Alaska and winter in Oregon and California.

During the winter, 50,000 ducks, 10,000 Canada geese, and 1,000 tundra swans are present, along with mallards, pintails, American wigeon, canvasbacks, and lesser scaups. Thousands of water birds, such as great blue herons, gulls, and shorebirds, feed in the shallows and mudflats. Grebes and cormorants dive in the deeper water of the channels in search of fish.

The willow, cottonwood, and spruce trees of the vegetated islands provide nesting sites and lookout perches for numerous small birds and hawks. Bald eagles are present year-round; there are 30-35 active nest sites.

Many species of fish also use the estuary for spawning, as a nursery, for feeding, and as a passageway between the ocean and upper Columbia River. This is where juvenile salmon go through the physical changes that allow them to survive in salt water.

The major sport and commercial fish species include coho, chum, and Chinook salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout, and white sturgeon. Other species include American shad, smelt, perch, starry flounder, bass, catfish, and Pacific lamprey.

Harbor seals haul out on the sandbars and mudflats at low tide, while seals and California sea lions feed on the fish. Beaver, raccoon, weasel, mink, muskrat, and river otter also live on the islands.

Although the refuge is open for day use year-round, the best time to see the large numbers of wildlife is from October through April. Camping is available at Skamokawa Vista Park and in private campgrounds.

Tidal fluctuations, strong winds, and wake from ships in the navigation channel can make boating to the islands dangerous. Deep channels separate most of the islands at high tide, but tide tables and navigation charts should be consulted to avoid grounding on sandbars. Launch facilities are located at John Day Point and Aldrich Point in Oregon and at Skamokawa, Washington. Once on the islands, exploration is limited to foot travel.

Sport fishing for salmon, trout, sturgeon, and warm water fish is regulated by the State of Oregon. Most of the refuge is open to hunting for geese, ducks, coots, and snipe in accordance with Oregon and federal regulations.

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