Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge – Gibbons Creek

A lovely trail at Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge – great for birding and wildlife viewing. This trail is a flat graveled path that leads you through riparian areas rich in wildlife viewing opportunities. Hikers may see great blue herons, geese, ducks, grebes, pileated woodpeckers, great horned owls and more.
 
Please Note: No dogs are allowed at the wildlife refuge.
 

History

Like the Sandy River Delta across the river, Steigerwald was once a dairy farm and was zoned industrial land prior to passage of the National Scenic Area Act. Proposals such as nuclear power plants had threatened the area, but eventually local birding enthusiasts Wilson and Susan Cady and others convinced Senator Mark Hatfield to push for designation of Steigerwald as a national wildlife refuge and the Trust for Public Lands purchased an option on the property until the federal government could purchase it. Today, Steigerwald and the Sandy River Delta are the Gorge’s western gateways, serving as development buffers that support thousands of acres of wildlife habitat. 

Friends of the Columbia Gorge does not track trail closures. If you are planning a hike in the Gorge, please check other sources in advance for the latest updates, including the U.S Forest Service, Ready Set GOrge, and AllTrails. Recreational activities in the Gorge can involve risk of injury, death, property damage, and other dangers. Friends does not assume responsibility for any such outcome resulting from the use of the information on our hiking web pages. Your use of these web pages is strictly at your own risk.