Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Description

The refuge is a place where people can share a bond with nature, and each other, by passing on outdoor traditions to new generations. As the population of the region increases, the refuge will become even more important to wildlife and those seeking to connect with nature.

Just minutes North of the Portland/Vancouver Metro area, the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is approximately 5,300 acres along the lower reaches of the Columbia River. A lush mixture of wetlands, grasslands, riparian corridors, and forests provide the ideal environment for many species including neotropical song birds, wintering waterfowl, and other local native species.

The refuge also preserves the most intact archaeological site on the lower Columbia River, and evidence of at least 2,300 years of continuous human occupation. That history and culture is interpreted through the Cathlapotle Plankhouse built in 2005 and open to visitors on the weekends in the spring and summer.