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Watchable Wildlife
Largely undeveloped, Lewis County is home to more varieties of warblers than anyplace outside of Michigan. It is also unique in the vertical migration that happens from high on Mount Rainier to the glacier river valleys far below. Bald eagle, osprey, falcon and other raptors are not uncommon. Over 532 different species of birds have been reported in the state and most of those can be seen in Lewis County.
Vast fields of wildflowers in bloom from April through September attract butterflies to the region. Roosevelt elk are abundant and can usually be spotted near downtown Packwood. Mountain goats are a bit harder to find but worth the hike. Beaver, raccoon, opossum, porcupine and smaller mammals are spotted throughout the county. Trails and forest roads are numerous. Pristine hiking areas include Goat Rocks Wilderness Area, Tatoosh Wilderness Area, and many places in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The Cowlitz Wildlife District and other areas of East Lewis County offer many opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Located just outside the city of Mossyrock, Swofford Pond is heavily stocked with trout. Seek out the Osprey nests and watch Bald Eagles. The pond also supports Common Loons and Western Grebes. Look for the mating dance in early spring, when the birds walk on water. It is one of the few sites in Washington where the Northern Shoveler Duck can be spotted. River otters, muskrat, and beaver make their homes here. Deer and elk frequent the fields surrounding the pond.
Rainy Creek Flats is a world-class bird watching site. The area has the greatest collection of Warblers in the U.S. with the possible exception of the Mid West in the summer. Almost all North American Warbler species are represented in Lewis County. The area can equal any part of Washington for Flycatchers and is on par with Skagit Valley for Kinglets. Clark's Nutcrackers can also be spotted here. At least 150 species of birds, not counting waterfowl, can be sighted here year round. Wood ducks, mallards and other waterfowl make this there home. Rainy Creek Flats is at the east end of Riffe Lake (off Scenic Byway 12, three miles east of Morton).
On the opposite side of the mountain from Rainy Creek Flats is Dog Mountain. Best known as a place for hang gliding and windsurfing. Goat Creek Flats is a great location to spot canopy dwellers; Common Yellow Throat, Finches, Mountain Chickadee, Nuthatches, Gray Jays, and Steller Jays are often seen here. Abundant Lewis County Wildlife Habitats [pdf] Woods Creek Wildlife Tour [pdf]
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