"Preserved Willamette Valley Wilderness" William Finley National Wildlife Refuge by glabah

William Finley National Wildlife Refuge Travel Guide: 25 reviews and 208 photos

Finley Refuge Road Kiosk & Observation Platform

Much of the Willamette Valley has been converted to farm land, developed parks, housing, industry, and various other human developed forms. Approximately 1% has been preserved in its pre-European settler "wilderness" form.

The William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge is one of those preserved locations - though even here a lot has had to be created artificially as the native ecosystem has been so disrupted that the natural seasonal flood stages no longer occur.

While this refuge is mostly made up of Willamette Valley ecosystems, it also includes bits and pieces of the start of the foothills of the Coast Range mountains as well. Parts of the refuge are as flat as a pancake, but others are quite hilly. The Mill Hill trail wanders through part of the forested hills section of the refuge that is more of a coast range habitat than traditional Willamette Valley ecosystem.

There are about 12 miles (20 km) of walking trails, but only about 6 miles (10 km) are open all year. During the winter, Canada geese winter over in the Willamette Valley, and this is one of the very popular locations for them. During this time, entry to many parts of the refuge is prohibited as the Dusky Canada Goose is a protected species. It only nests in one small part of Canada, and generally only winters in the Willamette Valley. Due to a sharp decline in their numbers several decades ago, at the request of the government of Canada the Willamette Valley refuges protect wintering grounds for this particular type of Canada goose.

The Finley Refuge Road Kiosk and Prairie Overlook platform provide a good introuduction point to the various points on the refuge, and have literature racks for maps and brocures of this refuge, plus a general brocure about the Willamette Valley wildlife refuges. It is the natural place for most people to start their tour of the refuge.

Various All-Season and Seasonal Hiking Trails

Homer Campbell Memorial Trail through water forest

Hiking Trails in the wildlife refuges in the Willamette Valley generally include both seasonal and all-year trails. The seasonal trails are closed in the winter to prevent the presence of people from interfering with the lives of the various wildlife that come here to find winter habitat.

Please note that hiking trails and many other places in the refuge have restrictions on their use. For example, bicycles, jogging and dogs are not permitted on the refuge trails. There are restrictions on bike use on the refuge roads (prohibited during certain seasons).

In some cases the all-year trail is very short. In other cases there is a fair amount of walking that can be done all-year.

The William L Finley National Wildlife Refuge has six miles (10 km) or so of all-year trails. This gives it the distinction of having the longest all-year trail system of the National Wildlife Refuges in the Willamette Valley. All year walking trails include the Woodpecker Trail, the Intertie Trail, the Mill Hill trail and the Homer Campbell Memorial Trail.

The Woodpecker Trail has one of the best viewpoints in the refuge, and if you sit on these benches overlooking the Willematte Valley for a while you may get to see some birds of prey hunting.

During high water days, the Homer Campbell Memorial Trail leads through a forest that is flooded. However, most of the time the water level isn't quite so dramatic as seen in the photos taken on January 3, 2009. That was an exceptionally high water day (though not completely unusual). Sometimes, even in winter, the water level is quite a bit lower than seen in those photos.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Good place to watch nature in the wintertime, with summer sightings also of interest to bird watchers.
Cons:No dogs allowed on trails due to wildlife protection, many areas closed in winter, can be crowded at times due to people seeking recreational trips without any concern for how their actions on the trails will impact the wildlife or others.
In a nutshell:This is not a state or regional park, and does its job of providing a wildlife sanctuary quite well.

Last visit to William Finley National Wildlife Refuge: Mar 2012
Intro Updated Mar 29, 2012
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Reviews (25)

New Refuge Headquarters opened in 2009 - William Finley National Wildlife Refuge

The New Refuge Headquarters and Store Things to Do (16)

Up until 2009, the refuge headquarters was located in a historic (1912) game hunting lodge (the Cabell Lodge) near the... more travel advice

Cheadle Barn as Seen from Bruce Road - William Finley National Wildlife Refuge

Historic Structure: Cheadle Barn Off The Beaten Path (3)

While the primary purpose of the William L Finley National Wildlife Refuge is as a home to wildlife, there are also a... more travel advice

Entrance to Overlook is Clearly Marked - William Finley National Wildlife Refuge

Bruce Road "Refuge Overlook" Things to Do (16)

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New Wildlife Observation Shelter by Headquarters - William Finley National Wildlife Refuge

New Observation Shelter at Headquarters Things to Do (16)

In late summer of 2011, the final touches were put on the new observation shelter at the refuge headquarters. This new... more travel advice

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Ice Cream and Other Treats on farm off...
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Comments (6)

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Trekki Apr 23, 2011 at 11:58 PM

Marvellous wildlife refugee, so peaceful! No wonder that some elk have chosen it as home. Mmmhh, I get hungry when I think of these chocolate dipped fruits! Is that sweet peas in your summer day album? (last photo?)
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BruceDunning Jun 28, 2010 at 2:38 PM

It is nice to learn there is such a refuge that exists, and helps nature. Your pictures and comments are very good.
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balhannah Jan 25, 2010 at 5:14 PM

Interesting tip on the "poison oak', it did look rather pretty in your photo. Blackberries are a declared noxious weed here, so haven't had any to eat for years, and I love them!
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iandsmith Jan 22, 2010 at 5:42 AM

Never heard of the place but I now know where I can find out everything about it! Well done.
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wandeljp Aug 16, 2009 at 12:41 AM

Nice page and interesting informations! Thanks for sharing.
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christine.j Jan 19, 2009 at 2:09 AM

I really appreciate the very detailed description you give about the trails, it's so easy to get lost when there are signs missing. Thank you for the tips.