Visit Us
Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a Fee-Free area. Come and enjoy accessible viewing decks, bank fishing, and nature trails.
Activities
At Nestucca Bay NWR, the patient observer will be rewarded with many wildlife viewing opportunities. A visit from late October to early April is ideal for those wanting to see thousands of wintering white-cheeked geese.
Trails
There are two nature trails at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
The Pacific View Trail is 0.6 miles round trip. It's classified as easy. It is paved with asphalt and is a one way up and same way back trail. The trail is accessible for people with mobility issues and there are two rest benches along the way and one on the deck. The trail ends at an observation deck where you will be treated to a sweeping view of the Pacific Ocean, Pacific City’s Haystack Rock, Nestucca Bay, the Coast Range, and the Little Nestucca River.
The Two Rivers Nature Trail is 2.2 miles round-trip and offers visitors several loop options. The trail surface is a combination of gravel or natural soils and is rated as moderately difficult based on elevation changes and uneven terrain. The trail winds through coastal prairie, small wildflower meadows, and mixed-alder forest, with a stop to view the confluence of the Nestucca and Little Nestucca Rivers. The family-friendly trail offers birdwatching along the way and plenty of opportunity to take photographs of the preserved forestlands. There are benches along the way for resting.
Dogs are prohibited on both nature trails.
Pacific View Trail
- Length: 0.33 mi
- Typical Grade: 7.6%
- Max Grade: 11.3%
- Route type: Out and Back
- Surface: Paved and Wood-decking on overlook
- Average width: 66 inches
- Minimum width: 66 inches
- Typical cross slope: 2.0%
- Max cross slope: 4.6%
- Bench locations: 0.11 mi, 0.18 mi, 0.24 mi, and 0.31 mi along the trail
Discovery Trail
- Length: 0.04 mi
- Typical Grade: 3%
- Max Grade: 7.4%
- Route type: Out and Back
- Surface: Gravel
- Average width: 36 inches
- Minimum width: 36 inches
- Typical cross slope: 0.8%
- Max cross slope: 2.4%
- Bench locations: Picnic table located 0.02 mi down the trail
Little Nestucca Fishing Access Trail
- Length: 0.23 mi
- Typical Grade: 4.4%
- Max Grade: 18%
- Route type: Out and back
- Surface: Vegetation - mowed
- Average width: 39 inches
- Minimum width: 28 inches
- Typical cross slope: 2.9%
- Max cross slope: 8.8%
- Bench locations: No benches
Two Rivers Nature Trail
Maintenance Road
- Length: 0.61 mi
- Typical Grade: 4%
- Max Grade: 11%
- Route type: Point to Point
- Surface: Gravel
- Average width: 92 inches
- Minimum width: 60 inches
- Typical cross slope: 0.6%
- Max cross slope: 11%
- Bench locations: At 0.61 miles
Section 1
- Length: 0.49 mi
- Typical Grade: 4%
- Max Grade: 15%
- Route type: Point to Point
- Surface: Duff
- Average width: 21 inches
- Minimum width: 17 inches
- Typical cross slope: 5%
- Max cross slope: 14%
- Bench locations: 0.05 mi
- Obstacles: Roots up to 5 inches tall
Section 2
- Length: 0.32 mi
- Typical Grade: 6%
- Max Grade: 15%
- Route type: Point to Point
- Surface: Duff
- Average width: 13 inches
- Minimum width: 13 inches
- Typical cross slope: 1%
- Max cross slope: 7.6%
- Bench locations: The trail starts at a bench
Section 3
- Length: 0.26 mi
- Typical Grade: 9%
- Max Grade: 22%
- Route type: Out and back
- Surface: Duff
- Average width: 20 inches
- Minimum width: 14 inches
- Typical cross slope: 5%
- Max cross slope: 16%
- Bench locations: 0.03 mi, 0.26mi
- Obstacles: Roots up to 3 inches tall
Section 4
- Length: 0.19mi
- Typical Grade: 9%
- Max Grade: 15%
- Route type: Point to Point
- Surface: Duff
- Average width: 20 inches
- Minimum width: 14 inches
- Typical cross slope: 6%
- Max cross slope: 21%
- Bench locations: No benches
Section 5
- Length: 0.32 mi
- Typical Grade: 10%
- Max Grade: 20%
- Route type: Out and Back
- Surface: Gravel and Mowed Vegetation
- Average width: 92 inches
- Minimum width: 92 inches
- Typical cross slope: 2%
- Max cross slope: 9%
- Bench locations: Trail starts at a bench and a picnic table is at the end of the trail
Other Facilities in the Complex
Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge is managed as one of six Refuges in the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. See below for the other five Refuges and experience them all.
Refuge Headquarters:
Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex
2127 SE Marine Science Drive
Newport, OR 97365
541-867-4550
oregoncoast@fws.gov
What is a Refuge Complex?
A National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a group of two or more refuges, wildlife management areas or other refuge conservation areas that are managed from one central office. Refuges are grouped into a complex because they occur in a similar ecological region, such as a watershed or specific habitat type, and have a related purpose and management needs.
The Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex is managed from our headquarters in Newport, Oregon. The office located at Bandon Marsh NWR serves as a south-coast field office.
