Portland's first official urban wildlife refuge, Oaks Bottom is a 170 acre complex of meadows, woodlands and wetlands on the east bank of the Willamette River just north of the Sellwood Bridge. The refuge is the largest remaining natural area within the lower Willamette River floodplain and provides important habitat for fish and wildlife, including threatened salmon and over 175 bird species.
Hawks, quail, pintails, mallards, coots, woodpeckers, kestrels, and widgeons are just the start of the list of birds that one might encounter in Oaks Bottom — the birdwatcher's paradise. Scores of great blue heron are found in the area because of its proximity to one of the rookeries on Ross Island. The trail is a 2-mile loop.