Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge is a group of small islands near the mouth of the Columbia River before it meets the Pacific Ocean. The refuge offers visitors a chance to see an abundance and variety of wildlife and habitat reminiscent of what Lewis and Clark saw in the early 1800s. Juvenile salmon become acclimated to saltwater here; bald eagles soar overhead; sea lions and harbor seals swim the estuary waters, but for waterfowl hunters the large concentration of ducks is the main attraction. Each winter, as many as 50,000 ducks, 5,000 geese and 3,000 tundra swans can be found.
Most of the 33,000-acre refuge is open to hunting for goose, duck, coot and snipe in accordance with Oregon regulations. The islands are accessible only by boat. Some of the islands are visible from U.S. Hwy 30, on the Oregon side of the Columbia River, five miles east of Astoria.
