This wildlife refuge is a delightful place for people to take a relaxing walk, and hopefully, see the local residents. The year-round trail is about a mile long, and is made of fine gravel on nice level ground. During the summer, a longer service road with somewhat coarser gravel follows a 3 mile trip around the perimeter of the property. The seasonal closure is to give the animals the space all to themselves for their nesting seasons.This is former farmland that is being allowed to return to its original state of being a wetlands floodplain.We visited during the summer, and most of the wildlife we ended up seeing was on the service road in the more remote parts of the refuge. We spotted deer, a hawk, egrets, herons, geese, nutria, and heard lots of birds that were keeping a respectful distance.During the pandemic, all the buildings (visitor center, ranger station, and restrooms) were closed, half of the parking lot was roped off, and there were two portable restrooms available. At the end of our walk, we wandered to a space between the visitor center and the ranger station, finding a shaded bench with a view of the larger pond - its a view worth seeking out whether the buildings are open or not.They have done a wonderful job of allowing people to visit and enjoy a space that is not really intended for them.

Nice place for an easy 3+ mile walk along flat trails. Saw several cranes, herons, geese, ducks and nutria. Want to try it again in spring or early summer when its greener, but very pleasant walk around the refuge.

First visit to this refuge. It was hot today (85f) but the long trail had a good mix of covered trees and open spaces. Lots of birds. Due to COVID the bathrooms weren’t open :-( but that’s understandable. I encourage a visit. Trails are gravel and great for strollers too.

Lovely place for a walk in the beautiful Oregon countryside. Lots of hiking trails and a visitors center.

A great place to get away from the city and feel like you are all alone in nature. The winding trails offer privacy in areas and others have wide open views out into the wetlands. Check the visitor center hours for more education, but there are also signs throughout and maps to offer learning.

We went with our 2.5 yr old and 7 year old. Had a great time, walked about 2 miles before anyone melted. Very stroller friendly and is partially shaded in some areas of the trails. Definitely recommend!

We saw so much wildlife there! A doe and her 2 newborn fawn. Skunks and their little pack of babies skunks, 2 beavers, abundance of birds. Cant wait to see it during the fall.

Excellent!This former farmland was floodplain/riparian land now reverted back to riparian is well managed allowing for walking, education and, of course, wildlife reservation.Shhhh, dont tell too many people. Word will get out and it will be too crowded.

A fantastic place to visit with great amenities. Good hiking trails that are nice and flat.

We visited in August and the wetland was very dry. Luckily, we saw an eagle at the top of the tree right next to the visitor center.They have two hikes. A short year round hike and a bigger loop that only opens seasonally. We did the short hike and had a good time Not much to see because it was so dry. Well have to come back in October or maybe in the spring.

Very good place to watch the birds and trails for a walk

I had a few hours to kill on a business trip to Portland. This nature refuge was pretty close to where I was staying. I enjoyed walking around the trail for some exercise and appreciation of nature.

This place never disappoints and they always take such good care of the wildlife

Highly recommended nature preserve just a short drive from Portland. Main wetlands trail is closed during winter, but still a great place to walk and enjoy scenery and the nesting birds. They have telescopes in the visitor center if you dont bring your own binoculars. Cool spot.

Very pleasant area to walk around. It is walk path only...so no biking or running. Surprised me a little, but it was actually pretty relaxing! Some area for relaxing, bird watching, etc. Check it out!

Trails are open and so is the parking lot. Very flat trails and unless you’re packing a camera with terrific zoom the photo ops are average at best. I think I’d come back for a run but you’re go to hike there are a ton of options I’d do before hiking here.

Wonderful place to go any season in the year . Saw more wildlife here in one day then all summer camping. My family and I love this place! Thankful for the helpful staff always happy to chat and involve my son in some kind of activity within the visitor center.

Enjoyed a nice, easy-going walk around most of the trails, and I’ll be back to walk the rest of the trails. Gravel service roads and trails make this an accessible walk for most visitors. Total elevation gain over my 3.25 mile walk was about 45 feet, so not strenuous at all. Saw a variety of birds and some deer, mostly just enjoyed getting out of the house!

The Refuge is a true gem and a great place to escape life’s hustle & bustle and is convenient to get to from so many places.The Extended Walking Paths are open May 1 - September 30.But you can still get some really good steps in on the other paths.The loop we did clocked in at 2.25 miles, which included an optional slight hill that offered some really nice views.This Refuge is such a Wildlife Sanctuary.It’s peaceful, teaming with wildlife, and quiet except for the sounds of nature.We saw and heard a variety of birds.It’s really fun trying to figure them out!

Beautiful, nice long walk. Takes about two hours to go the long way loop at a slow pace. Now I walk here with my fiance every other day or so.

Nice leisurely walk through marshlands. OK wildlife in the heat of the afternoon, probably better in morning and evening near dusk. Beautiful visitor center and refuge.

It was peaceful and serene. Very beautiful scenery!

Good to get out and walk. There is a new trail that is fun to see.

This is a beautiful place, but folks need to remember COVID guidelines when visiting

The weather is decent all the trails should be open. Nice short walk. Wish it was longer.

It was good seeing animals and birds in their natural habitat. Not too many people walking here in the morning.

Beautiful nature reserve with a great hike and tons of birds and other wildlife!

Very nice walk in the trees saw two young deer and several birds.

William and Michelle are fantastic! We walked right in to the visitor center and they got us all set up. They gave us a discovery backpack full of really useful information binoculars and fun stuff for the kids to identify along the trail. I highly recommend getting the binoculars in the discovery back they changed our experience tremendously especially because we brought little kids. You can do all the paths with the stroller as they are crushed granite. There was something new around each corner and I was very impressed with how well the trails were maintained giving that it is the end of January. I highly recommend coming here just to get some fresh air and a good walk about with the kids. We will definitely be coming back!

Stunning amazing lovely place to be. Ive seen an eagle, deer, hawks, many Canadian geese, ducks, heron, and tons of tiny birds I wish I knew the names of. Brings a sense of peace when you visit.

Absolutely amazing place to walk around. So much wildlife to see. Beautiful place. Can get busy, but still totally worth the visit.

We had our maternity photoshoot here and it was so beautiful! Love all the wildflowers.

Very nice place to walk. But no dogs allowed.

This place was gorgeous!! We took our two kids, 5 and 6, who thought it was fun. We went to the visitor center first and got a check off list of things for them to find. This really added to their experience. Since its winter, only some trails were open. We cant wait to go back in spring/summer to see the rest of it. Its worth the visit!!

There is a nice trail system through the refuge that takes you through a variety of habitats. Best time to visit is fall/winter when migrating waterfowl are on the refuge. Theres a nice visitor center as well.

Beautiful place.

I was able to get a picture of a bald eagle taking a fish out of water last time I was there. Its an awesome place

This was our first visit - just 2 days shy of the summer season path being opened. That might be better so that you can walk in a full circle. We loved just being out in nature and had fun looking for animals, We saw a raccoon, bald eagle, lots of birds, salamanders (newts?), bull frogs, etc. Great time with a young family.

Beautiful spot for birdwatching. There is a great visitor center and gift shop and easy trails for families.

Great place, easy and relaxing hikes, very kids friendly. Educational and interesting at any time of the year

Really easy hike! Gorgeous trails, and very well maintained!

This is a gem in the Tualatin/Sherwood area - I love coming here in the evening. If you come earlier, there are beautifully maintained walking paths that lead to a birdwatching site, so bring binoculars if you have them. It has a gorgeous sunset view!

Amazing place to take a long walk and see birds, flowers, trees, and rivers. Bring your binoculars.

Super beautiful place, herons and eagles EVERYWHERE you wanna see a riparian bird? Indigenous to our region? It is probably hanging out here.Bird watching paradise.

Nice and easy trail for family but a little bit hot today. It does not have a lot of shades.So i cannot finish the whole trail. I will try next time alone

The national wildlife reserve has beautiful walking paths. The visitors center was closed when I visited, but it was a great place to take in nature with an easy stroll.

Always a great walk and wildlife

Good trails lots of wildlife excellent parking and an updated facility

Cool but all that walking made my feet hurt.

Beautiful scenery, nice quiet walks with nature, definitely worth seeing while in the area.

It is so relaxing, cant wait to go back in spring when the other trails are re- opened

This is a wonderful place to go for a short hike. The trails are well-maintained and there are seating locations along the routes. I look forward to being a frequent visitor.

Great place to go birding! We picked up 30 different species! The place is very well kept. You do not have to worry about muddy trails because every path is graveled. The signs on the trails are also enjoyable to red, especially for children. Overall it was a nice 3 mile walk!

I love this refuge, always has a wide variety of avian wildlife to watch in their natural habitat. The staff have always been kind to my service dog and I (and they are aware that service dogs are permitted in the refuge). They put the health of the wildlife first and thats important to me.

Mostly gravel paths. Not soft, quiet tree mulch paths.

A gem in the shadow of the city! Restorative nature trails and views. Great gift shop that supports efforts. Always learn something new. Dedicated volunteers.

Great nature walk. Plenty of local wildlife to see, photograph, and educate kids about.

A wonderful outdoor space located just off the highway providing picnic area, trails, visitor center, full bathrooms, and educational opportunities. I definitely recommend stopping here for a walk during any season to see wildlife.Important notes: no dogs or jogging on the trails as it will scare wildlife away.

Beautiful place to see wildlife, and take photos!

Love this place to get away for an hour and enjoy some nature.

Just went to the annual event they have here. It was great for the whole family thanks for keeping this going!

A quiet little nature refuge that doesnt allow pets. The trails are all pretty flat and well defined.

Beautiful place to go and see a bunch of wildlife during the day

A wildlife oasis south of the city.

Really nice for a leisurely walk. I love that there are no pets, although that may be a downside for some. It’s a quiet relaxing stroll and I have seen an owl and other pretty birds here.

It is a wonderful place to visit year round. A trail is available to hike, a great viewpoint to see birds, and an information center with great volunteers.

Surprising wildlife refuge in the middle of suburban Tualatin. Was a perfect day to go, in mid-March, with bright sun and tons of birds.

Lovely, peaceful environment. Most of the hiking trails are closed for the Fall-Spring to protect the birds, but still has some nice views especially of the river. The Nature Center is informative as well.

Great place for a walk anytime of day, but the sunsets are breathtaking!

Good area to take an afternoon walk. Certain areas are resticted based on the month. The trails are not dog, bike, or jog friendly. Overall there are far better trails in Oregon but this one is fairly close to Beaverton and Tigard area.

Great place for a walk. Always see many types of animals. Great information about local history, plants and animals.

Crispy clean facilities.

A little overkill for me. That is because I visit these rec areas for the trails, exercise. Not all the staffed areas.

This is a wonderful place to wander and enjoy nature and wildlife.

Good place to hike.

Nice 4 mile hike, level, nicely maintained

This is a beautiful place to take a nice, easy walk.

Nice hiking trails year-round and plenty of observation desks. If you bring your binoculars you can get the most of the views.

Great trails for a quick jaunt thru nature. The only downfall (not that much of one) you can still hear the cars.

It has a nice visitor center and it looks like they do educational classes there which is awesome. Theres a couple of trails that go around the wetlands. The trails are almost all flat and smooth so you can push a stroller, and its not too tough for older folks.There was a poster board saying they are going to be doing a restoration project summer of 2019 to take Chicken Creek out of the channelized straight ditch its been in since some farmer did it back in the day, and put it back in its historic channel. Looks like it will have much better connection to the floodplain and wetlands that are currently there as well. It looks like a fantastic restoration project and Im excited to see the progress and how it turns out. Will definitely be visiting this summer and after its done to see how it turns out. Its definitely going to be a massive improvement and will restore a substantial amount of quality habitat.Final note: NO DRONES. I was pretty bummed to see this as I honestly came here specifically to fly and get photos, but I completely understand and obviously complied. Just want to put it out there in case it helps other pilots.

Fun walk, lots of birds, deer and watch out for salamanders under foot.

Lege artis Wildlife Center with the amazing historic exhibit hall, Natures Overlook, outdoor education shelter, on top of well-maintained trails. Any expert advise & guidance you might need is available on site :) A must stop on your way anywhere around Portland.

Great place to enjoy nature, water life, animals, birds. Hiking is very good and interesting. Make this a part of your trip. Kids love it, too. Interesting facts inside. Know more about your wonderful State of Oregon and its inhabitants. Gift shop, rest stop, clean. Beautiful views.

Nice place to take a walk, observe the nature and birds. Follow the gravel trails along the river, watch the sunset and enjoy the beautiful landscape. Bicycles are not allowed. The gravel trails makes it not friendly to strollers or wheelchairs, unless you have an off-road one. In fact, the noise from my babys stroller rolling onto the gravel scared the birds and little animals away .

Beautiful! Saw a deer from the river!

Nature walks, bird watching, nice place to get away without going far.

Love seeing all the wildlife. This place is gorgeous at sunrise!

Great bird selection. Not hilly. Has both woodsy areas and open spaces.

Beautiful. But be warned, These are not giraffes in the back field.

Wide open space with level trails. Easy walking (~3 mile trail loop). Good for kids. Didnt see much wildlife though. Some great egrets, great blue herons, and nutria (hurray?). Nice visitor center with displays of pelts and skulls on Sundays (noon-2). Washrooms at trail head parking lot. Open Dawn to dusk, year round.

Trails well maintained. Incredible bird life to see. New trail which can b accessed from may to Sep each year.

Great place to walk around. A nature photographers dream.

A excellent hiking experience.

Great easy paths for kids. Great nature watching and listening.

Great place to take a walk or a long hike in natural habitat. The volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable. Watch your blood pressure go down.

Saw an owl and a beaver! No bears!

Great beautiful place, they are doing a great job in keeping it real and clean!

Today in wet frogs croacking, blue heron and trees on water side had beaver marks. Great staff at visit center very and yes bring a camera to capture.

Great walk during covid

Excellent place to hike on a Summers evening