Back to Nature Destinations - Skagit River Preserve
As the stark, somber gray of November replaces October's brilliant yellow and red, bald eagles begin returning to their favored wintering grounds along the Skagit River. Gradually the population builds to several hundred, peaking in mid-January. This impressive winter gathering of bald eagles, which is one of the four largest in the Lower 48 states, coincides with the spawning runs of chum salmon on the Skagit River. The carcasses of the spent fish, washed onto gravel bars or into shallow water, are a major food source for the eagles. As the supply of carrion diminishes in this eagle "kitchen," bald eagle numbers dwindle, until by mid-March virtually all of the birds have dispersed.
Location: Between Marblemount and Rockport in Northwest Washington. Size: More than 7,800 acres make up the Bald Eagle Natural Area. This area is held by Earth Share of Washington member The Nature Conservancy of Washington and eight other partner agencies.
How to Prepare for Your Visit: Public viewing of eagles is confined to the Washington Eddy lookout, the Highway 20 pullout listed below, and the Skagit View Trail at Rockport State Park. Please speak quietly and minimize movement to avoid disturbing eagles.
Visitors floating the river must launch from Marblemount between 11 a.m. and noon only. Please do not beach between Rocky Creek and Rockport; this restriction also applies to gravel bars. Please float quietly and minimize movement to avoid disturbing eagles.
Directions from Seattle:
* Take Interstate 5 north to Exit 230.
* Follow Highway 20 through Burlington and continue 36 miles to Rockport.
* Eagle viewing sites are
* Washington Eddy lookout, 1 mile east of Rockport on Highway 20
* Highway pullout at mile marker 100 (1.3 miles further)
* Howard Miller Steelhead Park
* Marblemount fish hatchery
What to See: Plants
Old-growth hemlock and Pacific silver fir.
What to See: Animals
In addition to the bald eagle and chum salmon, Skagit River Preserve also serves as home to chinook, coho and pink salmon, river otters, bull trout and steelhead, beaver, river otters, and bear.
Why the Nature Conservancy Selected This Site
The bald eagle is listed as a threatened species in Washington state and a federally-threatened species in 43 other states. The Conservancy's efforts to set aside habitat for wintering eagles began in 1976, with the initial acquisition of 875 acres near the town of Rockport in the North Cascades. Today, the Conservancy and several partners have protected about 6,000 acres of prime bald eagle wintering habitat along the Skagit River.
What the Nature Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
One part of the Conservancy's holdings is Barnaby Slough, one of the most heavily frequented bald eagle communal night roosting areas, or eagle "bedrooms," along the Skagit. Census figures show that scores of birds seek shelter in the slough's thick stands of mature cottonwood, alder and bigleaf maple. The site also serves as an off-river perch area during the day. Because the roost is located near the eagles' feeding areas, the birds do not have to travel far or expend much energy to reach their food source.
