LONG ISLAND
A NATURE WONDERLAND
LEADBETTER POINT
AMAZINGLY ACCESSIBLE WILDLIFE
Located at the northern tip of the Long
Beach Peninsula, Leadbetter Point State Park
is an amazing place. Adjacent to the Willapa
National Wildlife Refuge this park features
several hiking trails that either lead to the
Pacific Ocean or along the Willapa Bay. The
tip of the peninsula is an excellent birding
location as many shorebirds rest and eat here.
The forest is pristine and yet quite new in
geologic terms. Wander through the forest
carpeted by kinnikinnick and coastal
strawberry plants. Stop and admire the
diversity of mushroom species found here in
the fall. Bring boots or waders in the winter as
trails frequently flood. Stroll the bay-side
trails for a respite from the ocean’s winds or
away from the summer’s mosquitoes. This
park is one of those few special places where
nature rules.
INFORMATION:
Phone the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge headquarters at 360-484-3482. Also check
out the Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge at www.willapabay.org/~fwnwr/ or
write to the Friends at P.O. Box 1130, Ocean Park, WA 98640.
It is difficult to convey a sense of size in a photo, but western red cedars on Long Island and elsewhere
around Willapa Bay are capable of growing to 16 feet in diameter . — OBSERVER FILE PHOTO
ong Island is a 4,700-acre nature wonderland. Home to an abundance
of wild birds and animals, it contains one of the last remaining
reproducing climax forests, a unique, 274-acre stand of cedars that
first sprouted during a dramatic West Coast climate change some
4,000 years ago.
The cedars average five to seven feet in diameter, although some
are 11 feet wide. They average 150 to 160 feet in height. In 2005, a
trail to the grove was dedicated to former Washington Congressman
Don Bonker, who led efforts to preserve the cedar grove and Long
Island for future generations.
The grove is just one small part of the island, managed by the Wildlife Service. Visitors to the
island must provide their own boat to traverse an approximate 100-yard-wide channel from the
boat launch at the refuge headquarters on U.S. 101, or launch at the Nahcotta Boat Basin for a
crossing of approximately one mile.
Other refuge units around the Peninsula offer their own unique attractions.
L
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607 OCEAN BEACH BOULEVARD N.
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DISCOVERY COAST 2018-19 • DiscoverOurCoast.com • 21