Washougal Washington: Walk, bike and picnic on the banks of the Columbia River

On a busy holiday weekend you'd think a riverside beach would be crowded with families. But not so at Cottonwood Beach on the Washington side of the Columbia River. With large grassy areas, a sandy beach and replica Chinookian canoes, this scenic area provides a pleasant riparian setting for visitors. Depending on the river level, there will be more, or less, beach to enjoy.

This is a Lewis and Clark site. On March 31, 1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark established a camp at Cottonwood Beach while they secured provisions for the return trip through the Columbia River Gorge and points east. They remained at Cottonwood Beach for six days, which is the longest period of time the Corps of Discovery camped at any site in Clark County. 

To mark the historical significance of this location, you'll see a longhouse structure at the entrance to the trail (up on the dike from the parking lot). Within the longhouse you'll find information on the Lewis and Clark expedition and the Native peoples that once lived there. This area is now called the Captain William Clark Park.

Bikers and walkers frequent the Columbia River Dike Trail which separates the parking area from the beach. The trail connects the park to downtown Washougal through a pedestrian tunnel as well as Steamboat Landing Park. The pedestrian tunnel will take you to the parking lot at the Pendleton Woolen Mills.  If you walk east on the trail you'll reach the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The trail measures three miles.

On the holiday when we walked and waded at the beach, we heard other walkers talk about seeing eagles in the area. Fishermen spent the day at Steamboat Landing and children played in the replica canoes at Cottonwood Beach.  It's not crowded in this area east of Vancouver, Washington. In fact, it would be an ideal place for bird watching.

Getting to Captain William Clark Park at Cottonwood Beach
An easy place to park is at Steamboat Landing at the intersection of SR 14 and 15th Street. You can walk the dike to the park. Or drive farther east and park at the Cottonwood Beach parking lot 

More Information
Camas and Washougal Visitors Information Trail and Parking Map

Photography copyright: Elizabeth R. Rose

Sandhill Crane Migrations - Finding the cranes in the Southwest US

It's getting to be Sandhill Crane time. If you are fortunate to witness migrating Sandhill Cranes it is not a sight you will soon forget. If you are living in or traveling in the Southwest, for example, there will be some great opportunities to see these magnificent birds.

New Mexico: Last year, in early November, more than 1,500 Sandhill cranes flew into the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge on their annual winter journey south. I had the pleasure of seeing some of them. Here is a photo gallery that I compiled from that trip. The Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge is 80 miles east of Santa Fe.

The refuge is open to the public every Sunday in November for self-guided tours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can drive by the lakes and riparian habitat that is not usually open to the public. And, there are special programs during this time. Call the office to inquire. One can't schedule these birds. When they show up, it is a spectacle.

The Sunday I was there, the office was filled with birders, there was a very long list of birds that were sighted that day and a special program was being held where birds of prey would be brought in for the visitors to see.

The preserve provides habitat for eagles, hawks, snow geese, cranes and dozens of other species. The refuge is on N.M. 281, just east of Las Vegas, N.M. For more information on the refuge, call the Visitor Services Office at 505-425-3581or visit their website

Bosque Del Apache is where the world's largest concentration of sandhill cranes migrate every fall. Thousands of birds including sandhill cranes, Arctic geese, and many kinds of ducks--gather each autumn and stay through the winter. Bosque del Apache is located south of Albuquerque. along 9 miles of the Rio Grande. Website The Friends of the Bosque has a website where they list events and tours.

Southern Arizona: Temperatures are mild in Southern Arizona so it makes for a great stop while migrating. Birders also flock to Southern Arizona to enjoy the gatherings of migrating birds. You can visit the winter home of more than 30,000 sandhill cranes in Willcox, Arizona, and witness their amazing dawn flight. Willcox holds the annual "Wings Over Willcox" nature festival. to celebrate the Sandhill Crane and other migratory birds. Map of crane viewing sites.

Find a Place to Stay in Willcox, AZ
Find a Place to Stay in Las Vegas, NM

Photo Copyright: Elizabeth Rose Photography