The Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is known nationwide as a place where sandhill cranes seek refuge while on migration.
Swans fill the waters during the winter months, ducks and songbirds come to the refuge in the springtime, and in early to late summer through fall different migratory bird species and native birds utilize the habitat for all to enjoy. The refuge isn’t just for birds. Dozens of mammal species call the wetlands home as well.
The refuge’s River S Unit has a rare accessibility for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service properties — a driving loop that features an average of 40 bird species a person can see as they make their way through. To date, a total of 238 bird species have been recorded to eBird. With that much species diversity, the River S Unit ranks 15th for species diversity in Washington out of 5,945 hot spots in the state.
The River S auto tour provides four miles of road access, a short trail and midway bathrooms that are open year round.
It also features the Kiwa Trail, which is open from May 1 to Sept. 30. From May through September, visitors are allowed to exit their vehicles and walk the auto loop if they desire. During the other months of the year it is strongly encouraged, and enforced, for people to remain in their vehicle while on the auto loop with the exception of the midway point restrooms and the trail.
Wildlife can be spooked by the presence of a person, but a slow moving vehicle will often not have the same effect, which provides the viewer with great photo opportunities or allows them to simply enjoy the sight of nature from the comfort of their vehicle.
The habitat diversity of the refuge allows people to feel like they have escaped the city life. They can explore forests of ash, Douglas fir, red cedar and Oregon white oak trees. Wetlands, open fields, sloughs, ponds and shallow lakes fill the land outside of the forests for an experience of natural diversity so close to cities of Clark County.
The refuge does require a fee to access both the River S Unit and the Carty Unit. The daily fee is $3 and is submitted in a filled out envelope at an unmanned kiosk.
Daily fees can be paid by cash or check. Exact change is needed.
Since the refuge is a federal site, park passes can be utilized to enter. They include the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge annual pass, the America the Beautiful annual pass, the annual or lifetime senior pass, an access pass for those with a permanent disability, active duty military and dependent passes, veterans and Gold Star families passes, the Every Kid Outdoors fourth grade pass, and the volunteer pass, which is earned through 250 hours of service.
Those with a pass are still required to stop at the kiosk to fill out a pass holder form and submit it into the drop box.
An annual pass to the refuge can be purchased by submitting $15 in a provided envelope with the name a person wants on the pass and with the mailing address clearly printed. People can also obtain a pass by mailing a check to P.O. Box 457, Ridgefield, Washington, 98642.
The River S Unit is located at 1071 S. Hillhurst Road in Ridgefield.
