Burbank Slough Wildlife Trail

The Burbank Slough Trail is an easy way to access the birdwatching in McNary National Wildlife Refuge.

The short trail follows a lollipop course, leaving from the Wildlife Refuge headquarters building along a winding paved path offering views across the water. Seasonally, bird populations are so dense that it is possible to watch flocks take to the skies in dizzying clouds of formations. 

McNary Wildlife Refuge provides home to over 200 species of birds. The Burbank Slough Trail offers a few benches where one can sit and take in the views. As the trail wraps around the slough's edge, it crosses a small bridge and reaches a picturesque gazebo. 

Proceeding past the gazebo, the trail becomes dirt and heads up a relatively small climb to an elevated view, before descending back to a fork with the original paved trail, where one can retrace their route to the trailhead.

There is almost no shade along the way, and turning away from the slough, neighboring agricultural fields and the highway dominate the view. The feature here is definitely the easy course for a short walk as well as views of the bird populations within the refuge.

Bathrooms and water can be found at the refuge headquarters building. Parking is in a gravel lot across the road from the trailhead.