Casing Oregon

Not far from the bustle and roar of Interstate 5 lies a peaceful refuge in the center of the Willamette Valley's fertile farmland. This 2796-acre refuge was set aside in the 1960s as a wintering spot for dusky Canada geese, which were seriously declining in numbers. A small, dark subspecies of the ubiquitous "honker" clan, the dusky summers in the Copper River Delta in Alaska and winters mainly in the Willamette Valley.

Today, the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge is a popular hiking and birding destination, easy to access and replete with a wide variety of bird and mammal species, as well as pond slider turtles, red-legged frogs, and garter snakes. The refuge provides a checklist of the many birds that can be seen; of course, they come and go as they wish, so there will be different varieties depending on the time of year.

The refuge offers wildlife a mixture of habitats, including wetlands, wet prairie, riparian forests, and cultivated farm land. Perhaps surprisingly, the cultivated land appeals especially to the duskies, but nearby ponds and forests draw many more species. Roads and trails offer human visitors access to the refuge and birdwatching is always outstanding; visit at different times of the year to find differing species. It should be noted that some of the trails are closed during winter; if it's your first time visiting, April is a good month to check out the trails as well as catch the end of the migratory season. Not much of a hiker? No problem, pullouts along the roads offer birdwatching, as well.

The refuge provides an excellent downloadable map and a visitor's brochure to help navigate the roads and trailheads (please note that bicycles are not allowed on the trails, and pets must stay inside vehicles). Ankeny Hill Road borders the area on the north, Buena Vista Road lies along the west side, and Wintel Road runs along the south side. To find the refuge, take the Talbot Exit (242) from I-5 between Salem and Albany. Head west and follow signs. The refuge is open from dawn to dusk daily, and there is no fee to enter.

There is no set route; you may follow the roads as you wish. We will take a right turn on Ankeny Hill Road and proceed counterclockwise. This entrance to the refuge does not seem promising; one rolling hill looks exactly like the next, and not a goose in sight. Drive a bit more, though, and on your left you will see the Ankeny Hill Overlook, where you will find information about the refuge, an event center, a children's play area, and restrooms. Plans are underway to develop this part of the refuge for education and outreach. This hill is the last of the high ground and provides a good overview of the lowlands of the refuge; it is obvious from here why it was once called "Ankeny Bottom."

Widgeon March

Continue on Ankeny Hill Road and turn left onto Buena Vista Road; watch for pullouts near Peregrine Marsh, Foxtail Marsh, and Widgeon Marsh (turn right onto Sidney Road to find parking with a good view of this last marsh; we have seen quite a few species here but not many widgeons). It should be noted that many of the marshes and wetlands here are seasonal, so water levels and bird populations will vary throughout the year.

Eagle Marsh

The kiosk at Eagle Marsh, on Buena Vista near Widgeon Marsh, is a must-see. Use the kiosk or your car as a blind and watch for ducks, eagles, and songbirds. This area is favored by scaups, ruddy ducks, cormorants, mallards, great blue herons, and more. Watch in the bushes for black phoebes and along the bank for shorebirds. Eagle Marsh is a year-round wetland and the viewing area is fully accessible; interpretive signs describe a sampling of the birds you might see. Look to the right of the kiosk for a wide, barrier-free path the runs along the top of the dike. This excellent trail is open April 1-September 30 and leads past a series of scenic ponds; wetlands on your right are home to Pacific tree frogs.

When you are ready to leave Eagle Marsh, continue along Buena Vista to a pullout at Mallard Marsh, leave the refuge briefly, then turn left onto Wintel Road.

Pintail Marsh

Watch on your left for a series of marshes. Pull out into the parking area next to Pintail Marsh for an overview and look for a variety of waterfowl, such as buffleheads, pintails, canvasbacks, coots, and Canada geese; if you are lucky, you may even spot a group of swans in the distance. Watch overhead for ospreys and red-shouldered hawks. We have also noticed nutrias in this area; these non-native mammals are differentiated from beavers by their square-shaped heads and ratlike tails. While you are at this parking lot you can access more dike trails and further explore the wetlands; be aware, though, that these trails are also closed October 1 through March 31.

Continue along Wintel Road and watch for a parking area on the left for a boardwalk trail into the Pintail and Egret Marshes. Wind through the thick, dark forest alongside Bashaw Creek, watching for songbirds and brown creepers. The boardwalk runs about a quarter mile to a viewing blind over the marsh. This short, year-round hike would be great for kids, especially if you brought sturdy binoculars and a snack for a pause in the blind.

A right turn a little further along Wintel Road brings you to the Rail Trail Loop Area (no trains involved, this trail is named for a shy, wetland-dwelling bird that is similar to a coot). Follow the trail through a grassy, treed area popular with a variety of songbirds, as well as peregrine falcons searching for prey in the meadow. A wooden boardwalk then leads through a wet forest to South Pond and then to Dunlin and Wood Duck pond and another viewing blind. The variation in habitat in this section makes for an excellent .75-mile hike, and it is open year-round. Watch for intricately-patterned wood ducks and listen for the buzzy song of tiny marsh wrens, or possibly even the pump-like call of a secretive bittern.

If you happen to visit between April 1 and September 30, there are a few more hiking options from this point. One is to return to the trailhead the way you came, watching for song sparrows, black-capped chickadees and woodpeckers. Another option is to turn left onto the Dunlin Pond Loop and explore the dikes that edge Dunlin Pond, Kildeer Marsh, and South Pond, meeting back up with the boardwalk. This area is very popular with redwing blackbirds and coots. A third possibility is to take a right turn onto the Woodland Loop, which passes through a peaceful oak grove or along the top of a dike, depending on which direction you choose. You may walk the entire loop and return on the boardwalk, or else continue past the Wood Duck Pond to the Prairie Extension, where a grassy trail through a field leads back to the parking lot. It should be noted that during periods of wet weather, parts of these loops and the Prairie Extension can be very moist, or even under a small amount of water. If weather has been rainy and you don't have waterproof footwear, sticking to the boardwalk makes for a much more comfortable hike. Once back at the Rail Trail parking lot, you can continue on Wintel Road toward Ankeny Hill Road and rejoin I-5.

This refuge is a mid-valley gem any time of the year, with different species coming and going, taking advantage of the meticulously managed habitat. Next time you're passing through on I-5, take the Talbot exit. Slow down and join the birds for a while. Listen to the frogs and the red-tailed hawks. Remember why we live here, and see who lives here with us.

Overlook

Part of the play area

Eagle Marsh

Pintail Marsh

Boardwalk

Pintail Marsh from viewing blind

Rail Trail

Boardwalk to Dunlin Pond

Inside viewing blind

Dunlin Pond

And finally... birds.

European Widgeon

Great Blue Heron

Cackling Geese

American Bittern

Bufflehead

Red Winged Blackbird

Now that we have explored the upper Metolius, it's time to feed the fish. Not the feather flies that we (unsuccessfully) offered to the wild trout in our last post; these fish are just waiting for you to arrive and buy fish pellets! Follow the signs on Road 14 to Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery. Built in 1947, the buildings look like something out of an old guide book, and the parklike grounds under towering trees invite a picnic. Check out the scenic settling pond, which is populated with fish who escaped the rearing tanks at one time or another. Rainbow trout, kokanee salmon, spring Chinook, summer steelhead, brook trout, and cutthroat trout are all reared at this hatchery, which is open to the public from 8-5:00 daily. Buy fish food from the machines (there is a change machine in case you run out of quarters) and the fish will gather around you like a group of hungry puppies. Some people employ the more civilized one-piece-at-a-time method, while others throw in the whole handful and observe the chaos that ensues. Whatever your approach, where else can you have this much fun for 25 cents?

Wizard Falls

While at the hatchery, walk to the bridge to see Wizard Falls. Although not technically a waterfall, this churning blue cascade is particularly photogenic and easy to access. For a highly recommended five-and-a-half mile (round trip) hike, park on the east side of the river, cross the bridge, and look for a trail on the left.

The river here is notably different from our previous hikes; larger and stronger, it rushes dark and white, but where it has dug itself in deeply it reflects in shades of blue. Hike upriver (south) through wide, hilly country under incense cedars and ponderosa pines. The trail is sometimes crossed with roots and rocks and it's prone to patches of mud, plus there are occasional brief climbs, but overall it is an easy-to-moderate hike that most people can manage.

Canyon Creek confluence

As the path continues, you suddenly realize that you are now in a canyon. Small springs are common in this area, but watch for a group of large ones rushing into the river like a waterfall coming out of the east riverbank. Continue on to Lower Canyon Creek Campground, our turnaround point. Here is the conclusion of Canyon Creek, born in the famously beautiful Canyon Creek Meadows on Three Fingered Jack. This confluence is a great spot for a quick snack before walking back to the hatchery.

Lower Bridge (Bridge 99)

For those interested in further exploration, there is a loop trail from the hatchery downriver to Lower Bridge, but note that it does leave the river for some distance due to private property. It is an easy drive to Lower Bridge, though, and a commodious campground spreads out next to the river, which at this point has grown even wider. Lower Bridge is a magnet for fly fishermen, and it also marks the beginning of legal dispersed camping on the many dirt spur roads.

A lovely two-and-a-half mile (round trip) hike to Candle Creek Campground begins near the bridge on the west bank of the river. This stretch has areas of lush undergrowth that are almost reminiscent of westside hiking. Walk along the river until you reach the campground. While this is a relatively easy hike, driving to the campground actually requires a longer route on a sometimes-rough road, so the campground has a remote, peaceful feel. Candle Creek flows along one side to meet the Metolius. This is the last campground on this stretch, as tribal land begins just downstream at Jefferson Creek.

Back at Lower Bridge, check out the picnic shelter, another project of the CCC. This is an excellent spot for a snack prior to your drive back out. It is also possible to walk some distance downstream along the mostly-abandoned dirt road on the east side, but it is an undeveloped trail through a wild canyon and therefore a bit beyond the scope of our blog.

Return the way you came, driving among pines and bitterbrush, following this unique and beautiful river back to Camp Sherman and Highway 20. Take time to linger in the peaceful forest, as those eastside farm families did a century ago. They had the right idea.