Photos by Carolyn Hoard
CLOCKWISE: The Airport Dike Trail features views of the Astoria Bridge. James Cook and his brother’s dog, ‘Trask,’ pose before walking along the Airport Dike Trail. The Airport Dike Trail.
Continued from Page 8
The 4-mile roundtrip trail curves
around alder woods and the fenced airport
on one side, with marshes and the Lewis
and Clark River on the other. The turn-
around point is by Youngs Bay Bridge,
where the Lewis and Clark River flows
into the bay of the Columbia River, then
the Pacific Ocean. Some folks walk here
to watch U.S. Coast Guard helicopters
and other aircraft take off and land.
The views are expansive including
Astoria, the Astoria Column, the Astoria
Bridge and the Youngs Bay Bridge. On a
clear day, one can see Saddle Mountain
and the Oregon Coast Range to the east.
An extensive variety of birds may be
seen along the trail during various seasons
including loons, pelicans, cormorants,
herons, egrets, geese, ducks, raptors,
gulls, shore birds and swallows. Come
spring, red-winged blackbirds and marsh
wrens will be singing, claiming their ter-
ritories among the cattail marshlands that
border the path. In winter, many ducks
can be seen, as well as an occasional bald
eagle. Since the river is tidal, there are
times when waterfowl can be seen resting
on sandbars. A detailed list at the start of
the trail lists out commonly seen birds.
“The Warrenton Waterfront Trail Sys-
tem began as an idea in 1994 and has
been ever improving through the ongo-
ing efforts of the City of Warrenton and
the Warrenton Trails Association, now
Northwest Coast Trails Coalition,” said
Nancy Claterbos, public works secretary
for Warrenton. “Three large grants from
the Oregon Parks and Recreation Depart-
ment have enabled the city to pave most
of the trail from S.E. 3rd St. to N.W. 13th,
Carruthers Park to Enterprise Street, and
most recently the DeLaura Beach Trail.”
The trail is maintained and mowed
regularly by Warrenton’s Public Works
Department, Claterbos said.
“The most recent addition to most of
our trails have been the dogipot stations
which are greatly appreciated and main-
tained weekly by the city,” Claterbos said.
The city is applying for Oregon
Department of Transportation grants to
connect various trails within the Warren-
ton Waterfront Trail system to Fort Ste-
vens State Park, Claterbos said.
“The trail from N.E. 1st to N.W. 13th
is our most utilized leg of the trail sys-
tem and sees a great deal of use when the
weather is cooperative,” Claterbos said.
Soon the marsh will fill with bird
songs. The trail is beautiful and
quiet, making it worthwhile to enjoy
year-round.
THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2021 // 9