Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge is 1,049 acres of wetlands, pastures, and woodlands which gives fantastic views of the gateway to the Gorge and a wide diversity of wildlife. When the second powerhouse at Bonneville Dam was constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, lowland habitat along the Columbia River was lost both up and downstream. In 1987, Steigerwald Lake NWR was established to reduce the impact of this loss and create more habitat for migrating and resident wildlife. Located east of the town of Washougal and partly inside the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Steigerwald Lake is a short 20 minute drive from Portland. The parking lot is just past mile post 18 on the south side of Highway 14. Steigerwald Lake is the only Refuge of the three that we support that is open to the public via the Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail. Learn more about the trail on our Visit Page and more information about the Refuge with downloadable maps and brochures on the US Fish and Wildlife Service Website.

Franz Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1990 and is 590 acres of floodplain habitat. Franz Lake has the largest population of wapato, spikerush, and bulrush marsh remaining in the Lower Columbia River. This makes it ideal wintering habitat for hundreds of tundra swans and other waterfowl. These can be seen from the overlook platform off of Highway 14 between milepost 31 and 32, about 13 miles east of Steigerwald Lake NWR.

Pierce National Wildlife Refuge is 329 acres and is best seen from the top of Beacon Rock looking East. It was donated to the USFWS in 1983 by Lena Pierce who fell in love with the wildlife that inhabited her property and wanted it protected from development. In addition to bird and elk habitat, it supports one of the last remaining chum salmon runs along the Columbia River as well as state endangered western pond turtles.