Willapa National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to protect migrating birds and their habitat at a time when many estuaries and shallow water bays were being destroyed in the name of progress. The refuge has grown to encompass diverse ecosystems including salt marsh, muddy tidelands, forest, freshwater wetlands, streams, grasslands, coastal dunes and beaches. This rich mix of habitats provide places for over 200 bird species to rest, nest and winter, including over 30 species of waterfowl (ducks and geese) and over 30 species of shorebirds.
You'll find the cache just inside the walk gate on the north side of the road, where there is a small parking area. To see more of this area of the refuge, use the walk-through gate to travel on an old road to the viewing blind. The blind has views of a seasonal wetlands, open fields and large conifers.