Children and an adult watercolor painting in a grassy field

Return to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Education programs

At Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Self-Guided Groups, In-Class Visits, Field Trips, Workshops, and Print-Out Refuge Activities

Self-guided groups and activities

If you are coming on your own to the refuge but want something to engage with while you are here, you can find self-guided activities for a variety of ages at the bottom of this page, or the Community Nature Center or Administrative Office front desk at Ridgefield NWR. These can be used individually, with families, or groups you are bringing to the refuge.

If you are bringing a group larger than 15 people, please email us at RidgefieldEducation@fws.gov so we know you will be on-site and so we can alert you if there is a closure of any kind.

In-Class Visits

We love to collaborate with schools or school groups in different ways! If you are interested in starting a relationship with our refuge moving forward, we are always open to discussions on developing programming for your class or school in the ways that we have capacity for. Please email RidgefieldEducation@fws.gov to get connected.

Every Kid Outdoors Program - FREE America the Beautiful pass to all 4th grade students

We have begun our Every Kid Outdoors 4th Grade Pass season for the 26/27 school year! We are beginning classroom visits and pass drop-offs on Thursday, November 12th. If you are a 4th grade teacher and would like to receive passes from us, fill out this Every Kid Outdoors 4th Grade Pass Request Form.

Did you know that every 4th grader in America gets a free America the Beautiful pass? Our goal through these presentations is to get these passes to as many 4th grade families as possible and inform students of the wonderful places they can use their passes in and around Clark County.

Request an Every Kid Outdoors Presentation

A 45-minute visit includes a presentation about the Every Kid Outdoors pass, federally managed lands, and a puzzle and riddle activity.

Request an In-Class Visit for Your 4th Graders!

Guided Field Trips

We facilitate guided field trips in the spring at both Ridgefield and Steigerwald Lake NWR. Stay tuned for our spring 2027 dates. A sign-up link will appear January 1st, 2027.

Field Trips are recommended for 3rd grade and above. We can host younger grades, but we have a limited capacity on a first come, first serve basis.

What a field trip looks like:
Our field trips are highly flexible based on your group's goals and needs! A typical field trip lasts about three or four hours and rotates through two (Steigerwald Lake) or three (Ridgefield) activities, with lunch in the middle. Activities can be found in the Planning Resources section below.

Our Planning Timeline:
- We gather date requests, allowing time to get a full picture of the requests of the community
- We work to arrange groups within our capacity for our season
- We confirm dates with groups and begin planning their trips! This includes planning the required teacher visit, deciding activities, schedules, and any accommodations needed

Planning Resources:
For frequently asked questions about field trips, see FAQs below.

For a list of Refuge Field Trip activities, please read our Field Trip Activities Guide below. Activities during field trips can be our pre-written ones, or we can work with you to support or develop an activity you would like to do at our Refuge!

Please email us if you plan to visit the refuge on your own with your students. If you are bringing a group larger than 15 people, please email us at RidgefieldEducation@fws.gov so we know you will be on-site and so we can alert you if there is a closure of any kind

Community Workshop Series

Join us for a FREE monthly workshop series!
The Refuge is partnering with community members to engage the entire community with the Refuge in different ways! Enjoy free snacks, jump back into learning, and celebrate this beautiful corner of earth we live on. All people in the community are invited and welcome.

All workshops are at Ridgefield NWR, Carty Unit, Community Nature Center. 28908 NW Main AVE, Ridgefield, WA

Mason Bees Unwrapped: The Art & Science of Cocoon Harvesting

Saturday, November 14th, 2026, 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Discover the fascinating world of native Mason bees with Master Gardener
and Master Melittologist Anne Bulger. Learn why these gentle pollinators
are so valuable, explore their unique life cycle, and find out what is hidden
inside their nesting tubes. Anne will demonstrate how to harvest and clean
Mason bee cocoons—an important step in helping reduce pests and
diseases while supporting healthy bee populations through the fall and
winter. Whether you're just getting started or already hosting Mason bees,
you'll leave with practical tips and a greater appreciation for these
remarkable native pollinators.

Our community workshop events are hosted by our Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

Register for Mason Bees Unwrapped: The Art & Science of Cocoon Harvesting

Saturday, November 14th, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Self Guided Activities

Field Trip Planning Materials

Field Trip FAQs PDF

Are there bathrooms on the refuge?

There are two accessible bathrooms available for use 24/7. They are located on the exterior of the Community Nature Center on the east side of the building, facing the parking lot. Inside the Community Nature Center, there are six stalls available for use during your field trip. Adult and baby diaper changing tables are located in these restrooms. For education programs, we set aside some time upon arrival, during lunch, and before your departure to use restrooms.

Is there parking at the site?

The Ridgefield NWR Carty Unit has a visitor parking lot, as well as a loop for bus drop-off and designated bus parking. The parking/entrance fee is waived for registered field trip groups.

Is there running water at the refuge?

There are two bathrooms available 24/7 from the outside of the Community Nature Center building. There is a water bottle filling station inside the Community Nature Center, located next to the restrooms.

Are there trash cans on the refuge?

Trash cans are meant for individual needs. Groups are asked to pack their garbage out with them. Please bring your own garbage bag for your visit.

The following FAQs apply only to Guided Field Trips:

Is there a spot for us to eat lunch on the refuge?

You and your students may enjoy their lunch in and around the new Community Nature Center building. There are 4 large picnic tables located outside, as well as a covered deck/patio with benches to eat outside. Personal snacks and water are allowed in the classroom inside the community nature center, but we ask that everyone please take home their own garbage.

If you are planning to do a walking tour at Ridgefield NWR, visits begin at the Carty Unit: 28908 NW Main Ave. Ridgefield, WA 98642

If you are taking a drive around the auto tour route at Ridgefield NWR, River S unit: 1071 S Hillhurst Rd. Ridgefield, WA 98642

If you have a visit at Steigerwald Lake NWR, visits begin at the trailhead: 34301 Lewis and Clark Hwy, Washougal, WA 98671

If your group cannot come because there is a transportation cost barrier, please contact us at RidgefieldEducation@fws.gov.

Is there a limit to how many people can come with my group?

Any field trips during April will have a maximum of 2 classes, or 70 students, on-site at once. Any field trips after April will have a maximum of 3 classes on-site at once. If your group is larger than this, it will need to be split into multiple days.

What is expected of my group during our visit?

We want our educational groups to enjoy their time on the refuge! We want students to feel free in the outdoors and be excited about what they are seeing. We will talk to your group that while quietness encourages more animals to appear, but being silent is not a requirement. We are happy to meet the students where they are. Our hope is to give your group a positive experience in the outdoors, whatever that may look like on that day. Because the animals, plants, and rocks are part of the refuge we are here to protect, our main requirement is that anything in the refuge stays there.

How many chaperones do we need?

Ideally, we require a 1:5 adult to student ratio. We are flexible based on the resources that you have available for your group, but please contact us if you are unable to reach that ratio. If you have a surplus of chaperones that want to come along with the group, the more the merrier!

What will we be doing during the educational visit on the refuge?

We are super flexible in the activities we offer on the refuge. If you are a school group, we strive to tie the visit into your curriculum however we can, so activities can be created or adjusted based on topics you want to highlight. Typically, we rotate activities created by the refuge, such as nature journaling and watercolor painting, with a nature hike. These rotations change in length based on the timing of your visit. Rotations help us manage larger groups with limited staff. See our Activities Guide for a list of pre-planned activities. If you would like to collaborate on a lesson plan with refuge staff, please email RidgefieldEducation@fws.gov.

Here is a sample visit schedule:

10:00 Arrive
10:15 Welcome
10:30-11:15 Rotation 1
11:15-11:20 Transition
11:20-12:05 Rotation 2
12:05-12:10 Transition
12:10-12:40 Lunch
12:40-1:25 Rotation 3
1:25 Reload
1:40 Depart

Do I need to come to the site before the visit?

It is required that you visit the site beforehand. Whether that is meeting up with refuge staff on site or simply viewing it on your own time. We have found that if you are able to see the site beforehand, the logistics of the visit are able to happen much smoother. If we can coordinate a meet-up on site, it is also great to talk in person about what to expect and what you hope to gain from your visit. We are all about building connections with people and would love for you to visit more than one time! If not, we understand limitations of scheduling, so you can visit on your own time and then talk on the phone with us later. If the visiting requirement creates a barrier to your school being able to come, please contact us at RidgefieldEducation@fws.gov.

Are there safety measures we should take before coming to the refuge?

Dress for the occasion! Make sure students are wearing closed-toed shoes and clothes comfortable for the outdoors, taking the weather into account (rain jackets for rainy weather, coats for colder weather, light clothes for the heat, dressing in layers).

Make sure students bring water and sunscreen so they can properly enjoy the refuge without concern.

During the warmer months, your group should be aware of ticks and mosquitos and take proper precautions.

Wear long sleeves and long pants. Lightweight material will keep students cooler and lighter colors will make ticks more visible. Use an EPA-registered insect repellent.

More from the CDC on preventing tick bites. More from the CDC on mosquitoes.

Does the refuge provide any special accommodations?

Access to main trails on the refuge is wheelchair accessible. We are happy to troubleshoot or discuss any accommodations you may need to come to the site. We want everyone to be able enjoy the refuge, so please contact refuge staff so we can help!

If you are local to the Ridgefield area and need transportation to the refuge, visit here to learn how to use C-Tran's $1 on-demand rideshare service, The Current.

If any of your questions remain unanswered, please feel free to contact us at RidgefieldEducation@fws.gov or 360-887-4106.