Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, one of the hidden jewels of the Refuge System, is located on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains at the base of 12,307-ft. Mount Adams in southern Washington.
It currently encompasses 6,532 acres of the historic Conboy/Camas lakebeds, a shallow marshy wetland area drained by early settlers. Conifer forests, grasslands, shallow wetlands, and deep water provide homes for deer, elk, beaver, coyote, otter, small rodents, and 150 species of birds, as well as numerous amphibians, reptiles, and fish.
Bald eagle, greater sandhill crane, and the Oregon spotted frog are species of concern. Refuge visitors enjoy the scenery, hike the Willard Springs trail, and observe wildlife from the county roads that surround and cross the refuge.
Conboy Lake Refuge protects and manages habitats that are home to so much life that it is difficult even to identify it all. There are 7 amphibian, 10 reptile, 40 mammal, and 165 bird species on the refuge. This does not include a myriad of invertebrates and many plants, fungi, lichens, etc.