Doctors and exercise leaders alike have always proclaimed the health benefits of walking on a regular basis. Walking burns calories, strengthens the heart, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar, boosts immune function, and more. Equally true is that getting out in nature for as little as 20-30 minutes a day can also be beneficial. Listening to birdsong and seeing animals reduces stress, which can improve sleep, aid in the development of mental energy, and reduce depression. It stands to reason that walking in nature is one of the most beneficial health decisions a person can make.
It may not always be easy to get out and enjoy nature; it may seem that nature is far away and inaccessible, but Salem is near many wonderful outdoor habitats. Here are three easy day hikes within a 30-minute drive of downtown Salem. Be sure to bring binoculars in order to spy some of the birdlife, and remember to follow the principles of leave no trace: take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints.
Rail Trail Loop at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
US Fish and Wildlife’s Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
2301 Wintel Road, Jefferson
541.757.7236
1.4 miles
South from Salem, take exit 243 and follow Wintel Road for 2.5 miles, then turn left onto a gravel road, which leads to the parking lot. The fine-gravel trail leading from the parking lot to the boardwalk, and the boardwalk itself, are handicap accessible and open year-round.
This loop is a total of 3.9 miles when including the short spur near Pintail Marsh. Aside from being smack dab in the middle of acres and acres of tall grasses, towering woodlands, and teeming wetlands, Ankeny Wildlife Refuge is also home to over 230 species of birds and waterfowl, as well as elk, bobcats, deer, coyotes, beavers, snakes, and frogs. An updated list of the animals seen on the refuge can be found here. There are no pets allowed at the refuge, and running and biking are prohibited on this family-friendly hike. Be sure to watch out for poison oak.
Baskett Butte Loop Trail
US Fish and Wildlife’s Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge
Coville Road Trailhead
541.757.7236
2.1 miles
From Salem, head west on Highway 22 West, take a slight right to exit the highway at the Monmouth/McMinnville Exit, turn left onto OR 99 West (toward McMinnville), left again onto Coville Road, then right to park at the Rick Guadagno Memorial Loop Trailhead. Stay right at the first fork in the trail to follow the Baskett Butte Loop Trail.
Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Pacific Flyway of migratory birds. The slough is a winter home for many Dusky Canada Geese and is also home to bald eagles, ospreys, and great horned owls. Nutria, beavers, and waterfowl can be found in the wetland areas. The Baskett Butte Loop Trail has many different kinds of trees and grasses and is a great place to see songbirds, the Western Meadowlark, and the Fender’s Blue Butterfly. The trail is open year-round and has handicap-accessible vault toilets in the parking area.
E.E. Wilson Loop Hike
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area
2955 Camp Adair Road, Monmouth
541.745.5334
Parking: $10
Head south down Highway 99 West and turn left down Camp Adair Road. Follow the signs to park at the Angling Pond parking area.
This hike exudes a wild vibe in many ways. As you drive to the angling parking lot along Camp Adair Road, you will pass an archery range to the left and a shotgun shooting range on the right. Further up the road, you will find an area where you can see birds such as pheasants, quail, and other game birds displayed in coops. Just a few steps east of this wildlife interpretive center is a WWII-era Quonset hut and war memorial, which was erected in honor of the troops who trained here when it was Camp Adair from 1942 to 1945.
The final parking area for the E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area is located directly east of the memorial. The fee for parking is $10, or an annual permit is available for $30. The E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area is handicap accessible and provides restrooms. Follow the signs down a diversely inhabited 1-mile trek through forest and meadow to a popular trout-stocked fishing pond. The paved and unpaved trails are ideal for bicycling or walking, and leashed dogs are allowed.
The bones of the WWII cantonment, the memorial of the troops from Camp Adair, the archery park, shotgun shooting range, fishing pond, hunting opportunities, interpretive center, picnic area, and biking and hiking trails combine to make this area one of the most diverse outdoor recreation areas for miles around – and that’s before weighing in on the myriad wildlife. From songbirds to geese, frogs to newts to turtles, minks to hares, and deer to beavers, the wildlife and the arboretum and wetland sustaining it abound here.
