Dallas, OR

The Willamette river valley of western Oregon is the historical and economic heart of the state. Not only is it a fabulously productive agricultural area, but it is also the major population center, containing Oregon’s largest cities.

Unsurprisingly, however, the scale of human activity has had a highly deleterious effect on native wildlife. The Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge preserves a small slice of the natural environment, tucked among the farmlands, where wildlife still has a chance to thrive. The refuge is focused on habitat for the dusky Canada goose, a threatened subspecies that winters only in the Willamette Valley, but other wildlife is protected too. The refuge is named for George J. Baskett, a prominent early settler in the area.

Wildlife observation and photography are the primary activities in the refuge. There is also a network of hiking trails, including the Rich Guadagno observation platform on a high point in the center of the refuge.