March 23, 2018
Experience the beauty and wonder of wildlife, highlighted by the return of Sandhill cranes to the Channeled Scablands. This three-day community event features a variety of activities. Field trips take you to view cranes and thousands of geese and duck, burrowing owls (when they are around), and the other wildlife of Columbia NWR. Learn about songbirds, geology, local agriculture, and human projects that affect the natural world. All Saturday, experts present diverse and absorbing lectures on the area's natural and cultural heritage. An art contest, a live raptor presentation, and numerous children's activities are offered. The festival charges an admission fee that covers entrance to all lectures.
Othello Sandhill Crane Festival Site
New Trails
We just turned the Marsh Unit 2 Trail into a loop. The new section brings you back to the parking area through some nice sagebrush and fantastic scenery. March 1 all trails will reopen; new interpretive panels on bats, floods and geology installed; and new trail linkages opened. Oh, and we're remodeling the office. We hope you’ll like it all.