Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail

Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail is an easy, mostly level 4.3-mile loop from the refuge’s Mt. View Trailhead. It links the wide Mountain View levee path, the one-mile Gibbons connector around Redtail Lake, and Refuge River Trail on the return. Plan about two hours with stops; the point is to watch the wetlands and notice the art, not to hurry through.

From the main parking lot, follow Mountain View Trail along the top of the west levee for about a mile to the Columbia River. The gravel track is wide and gentle, but this stretch has no shade or wind shelter. On clear days Mount Hood appears over the refuge. Turn east on Refuge River Trail for about 0.3 mile to Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail. The pedestrian connector passes around Redtail Lake, crossing two bridges before it meets Refuge River again. Follow the river path west about a mile to Mountain View, then retrace the levee trail to the lot. The Refuge River route is mostly compacted gravel, with about 0.3 mile of soft sand between the Gibbons junctions; footing is not firm all the way around.

Redtail Lake is the best place to pause: look for turtles sunning along the water and great blue herons. Quotes tucked into stone benches, small sculptures, and wildlife-shaped bike racks turn the walk into a low-key art hunt. The 2022 restoration reconnected Gibbons Creek and the refuge’s historic floodplain to the Columbia, and the route passes ponds, channels, and open fields. At the river lookout, frame the channel between the refuge and Reef Island with the railing in view; it gives the water more scale than a tight shot.

Start at the signed Mt. View Trailhead on Lewis and Clark Highway. A non-flushing pit toilet is at the lot; food and drinking water were not found on the route. The refuge is day-use only. Dogs and bikes are prohibited on Mountain View and Gibbons, so this is not a dog walk. The soft sand makes the whole loop less suitable for anyone who needs a consistently firm surface.