Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area - Headquarters — Attraction in Vernonia

On the 68 mile stretch along this road from Astoria to Vernonia, other than the "We Hate Bicyclists" Bar at mile 11, there is absolutely NOTHING! Therefore this rest stop - with sparkling bathrooms available 24/7 - at about mile 29 is crucial.

(To be fair, the bar charges (non-purchasing visitors) a reasonable $1 to use their bathrooms)

1st EDIT: This brilliant informative review has received a grand total of one upvote. I know this because I just provided said upvote. I can only add that I am extremely disappointed with the entirety of humanity, with the exception of one person.

I plan to use this rest area in the near future. I certainly hope this absolutely crucial rest stop still provides the desired excellent services. But if my journey proves one from which I do not return, you'll know the primary reason

2nd EDIT: There is no indication when the original review was written, but the hilarious 1st edit was written in July 2024

This here 2nd edit won't be as hilarious. The reason is that I have become a pedal-assist e-bicyclist. That means that my e-engine only kicks in when I'm pedaling, so this thing is NOT a scooter or faux-mini e-motorcycle.

Also, on trips longer than say 20 miles, one must be judicious with use of e-power, especially when you, your bike, trailer and gear tip the scales at 400 to 425 lbs.

So, my 5-star rating is being reduced to 4 stars because NO POWER

My charger doesn't require excessive amounts of power. In the 3.25 hours it takes to charge my battery from 0%, I use as many watt-hours as a typical high-power microwave oven would use in 15 to 20 minutes.

Also, my charger uses a standard plug. And it may have been that power had NEVER been available there, and I just didn't notice because I didn't need it.

So, fortunately, the 40 miles or so ride back to the Hillsboro MAX light rail was pretty easy

That's the great thing about my e-bike - when you stow the 11 lb battery in your trailer, it rides like a regular bike

Anyway, I hate to be an e-snob and complain about such a minor issue, but those damn e-cars have plenty of places to yuppy-charge

And I'd totally be willing to pay to charge my battery IF ANY POWER WAS...

As with most places regarding elk, your experience is largely dependent on the season. You are much less likey to see elk in the summer months than the other seasons.

I've been here 2 times, once in early June, and another in October. The first time, in summer, I didn't see any elk, but there was still an abundance of wildlife around, from blacktailed deer to little songbirds, to large birds of prey and woodpeckers. It was a relaxing time. The second time, in autumn, I saw many of the same birds, then right as the sun went down the bull elk started bugling and dozens of elk of all ages came out onto the fields and started grazing. There was a little fighting, but it nostly stayed friendly between the multiple bulls.

In all, I would recommend this as a good place to go year round if you are in the area and want to enjoy nature. If you love elk as much as I do, I would recommend traveling to this wildlife reserve in autumn and winter when you are almost...

Elk viewing winter 2021. The hay gets placed out for the elk between 9-9:30am it seems. On a Sunday feeding time was a bit later closer to 9:30, so just wait around a bit.

One thing that wasn't entirely obvious on arriving is the place Elk might tend to hang out waiting for chow time. After waiting around a bit we kept driving to the 3rd and 4th viewing lots (when driving towards Astoria these are the lots after the main house with bathrooms).

Down towards those lots is a metal barn that seems to house the feed. Workers load up a truck with hay around 9am and start feeding. Elk mostly lay down until they see the truck then they start moving.

Overall there are 4 viewing lots and one large strip of open field along the road. 1 lot next to a house has the bathroom and main lot.

Edit: Sad Fact - Posting a review on Google about an Elk Refuge got me an Elk steak...