GPS Coordinates: 44.7970811, -123.0798139

REGIONS > WESTERN OREGON > WILLAMETTE VALLEY​ > SALEM AND VICINITY
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​Located to the south of Salem and nestled among rivers and farmland is the 1700+ acre Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge. This protected wilderness area is an example of how the Willamette Valley looked prior to the establishment of widespread agriculture and urban areas in the nineteenth century. One of several refuges created in Oregon and Washington during the mid-1960s, Ankeny contains numerous seasonal marshlands, sloughs and riparian areas irrigated by the confluence of the Willamette and Santiam Rivers.

These fertile wetlands provide vital nesting area for a variety of birds. It is also home to several endangered and threatened plants and animals, including the Dusky Canada goose (Branta canadensis occidentalis), a subspecies of the Canada goose (Branta canadensis). The “Duskies” and a variety of other avian species attract bird watchers from all over the world.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of boardwalks, nature trails and wildlife observation blinds scattered throughout the refuge, although some are closed seasonally to protect nesting birdlife.

Exploring the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge Area:

Representative Species of the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge:

Suggested Activities for the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge: