Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge

Getting There: This park is located in Hoquiam, Grays Harbor County.  From I-5 in Olympia, take Exit 104 to Hwy 101, from there take Hwy 8, which joins with Hwy 12, then Hwy 101.  At Hoquiam, head west on Hwy 109, turn left in 1.5 miles on Paulson Road, then turn right on Airport Way.  There is limited parking available across from Lana's Hangar Cafe on Airport Way. Do not park on the blacktop road west of the gate.   For a map please got to:  http://www.fws.gov/graysharbor/map.html

Where to go: Once there walk to the end of the pavement to reach the Sandpiper Trail.  The trail is a flat paved and boardwalked loop, approximately 1.5 miles round trip.  There are occasional benches in which you can sit and watch the birds go by.

Setting: One of four major staging areas for shorebirds in North America, the refuge's mudflats provide invertebrates for food and the surrounding salt marsh vegetation provides protective cover and roost sites.  

Best Time to See the Birds:  Although present during the fall and winter, shorebird numbers peak from mid-April through early May during spring migration to their nesting grounds in the Arctic.  Because of this mass migration, every year during the last weekend in April people gather in Hoquiam, Washington and Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge at the annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival.  Due to the geography of the area, 2 hours before to 2 hours after high tide are the best time to see the birds.  During high tide, birds are closer and more concentrated for better viewing.  If you are going to the coast for viewing, tidal cycles are not as important. Note that high tides along the coast are about 1 hour earlier than at the Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge.  

Birds Commonly Seen: Killdeer, Short-billed and long-billed dowitchers, Black-belleid Plover, Semi-palmated plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Wandering Tattler, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Surfbird, Red Knot, Sanderling, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, and Dunlin.  The most abundant are the Western sandpiper, dunlin, short-billed and long-billed dowitchers and semi-palmated plover.

Restrictions: Pets, bicycles, jogging, hunting, and boating (including kayaking) are not allowed on the Refuge. Note that there are no facilities at this location. 

For more information: If you have questions about the shorebird festival which happens every spring, call 1-800-303-8498.  If you would like some more information about the area visit these web sites:   Fish and Wildlife  http://www.fws.gov/graysharbor/  ; or Grays Harbor Audubon http://www.ghas.org/index.html