William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge — Attraction in Philomath

Fantastic 5000+ acre refuge of oak savannah and wet camas prairie. A 1.5 mile dirt road right off 99W takes you to the Eastern entrance to the refuge, where you can start the auto loop. The loop is mostly dirt road (~4 miles, then links up to some paved roads that border the refuge to get you back close to where you started). There are several parking areas along the route that lead to short and long hikes and points of interest. Try the Homer Campbell boardwalk for a flat ADA-accessible walk through a hardwood forest (lichen-draped ash and maple) to a marsh filled with birds and the occasional river otter. That trail is open year-round; some of the others are seasonal. This is a fabulous refuge for birders, and deer, elk, coyote, beaver, and amphibians are also commonly seen. The refuge is also home to many uncommon and endangered wildflowers. There is enough room to park an RV at the parking areas. No dogs, bikes, or jogging allowed. Facilities are...

The Unbelievable Stillness and the ability to see wildlife as it was I Saw an Eagle teaching its eaglets to hunt a raven and when the senior eagle saw they were messing it up it's swooped in turned and grabed the Raven and took it to the ground where they commenced eating it.It's raw Wildlife you're watching and they're not scared just to go about their business. Plus there's plenty of time in the evening to hear the chorus of bulfrogs, crickets, insects ,birds all at dusk into the evening that's just amazing sound effects again it's just raw what you don't experience anymore in the city. Enjoy Ankeny, Finley and Baskett Slough They're Your Land enjoy them take care of them and pack out your trash don't even flick a cigarette butt or leave anything.... Mother Earth has no hands to pick up after your trash do it yourself and be responsible and respectful and go see wildlife raw...

Bobcats. Storks. Otters. Riparian forests... The elevated wooden sidewalk on the Homer Campbell trail and bird lookout is one of my favorite short walks and visits in the entire state. This is a neat place that features the oldest trees in the Willamette Valley and historic buildings. Your car will get dirty on the dusty roads, but that adds to the experience. Make sure to drive all the way around the refuge as the road that runs along the southern end is beautiful itself and has excellent views of the wetlands with a soundtrack provided by crickets and frogs. I borderline thought about not leaving a good review because I like how few people visit, but I can’t because this place is awesome.

Dogs are not allowed and this is enforced. If you bring your dog you have to stay in your car, but the drive around is...