USFWS · National wildlife refuge · Washington

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge is a scenic mixture of rugged cliffs, canyons, lakes, and sagebrush grasslands. Formed by fire, ice, floods, and volcanic tempest, carved by periods of extreme violence of natural forces, the refuge lies in the middle of the Drumheller Channeled Scablands of central Washington. The area reveals a rich geologic history highlighted by periods of dramatic activity, each playing a major role in shaping the land. The northern half of the refuge, south of Potholes Reservoir, is a rugged jumble of cliffs, canyons, lakes, and remnants of lava flows. This part of the Scablands, known as the Drumheller Channels, is the most spectacularly eroded area of its size in the world and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1986.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

National Wildlife Refuge29,046 acresUSFWSWA
Official page at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationNational Wildlife Refuge
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateWashington
Size29,046 acres (computed from the boundary polygon)
FWS regionRegion 1
Center point46.8941, -119.2764
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 22)

Boundary map

36 outlines

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Geologic Trail · 25 mi
Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail
National Register listings within 15 miles · 3 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Columbia National Wildlife Refuge?

29,046 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.

Source: How acreage is computed

Who manages Columbia National Wildlife Refuge?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

What state is Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in?

Washington.

Source: How states are assigned

How do I get to Columbia National Wildlife Refuge?

A point inside the boundary is at 46.894, -119.276. Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail is 25 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

How dark is the night sky at Columbia National Wildlife Refuge?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 22 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Columbia National Wildlife Refuge?

Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail (25 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Columbia National Wildlife Refuge?

3 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Hanford B Reactor and Beverly Railroad Bridge.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
  • States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
  • Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
  • Description: Columbia National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.