Swan Viewing Spots
Our programs and initiatives are dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Trumpeter and Tundra swans. Use this page to get more information on where to watch the swans, identifying them, and other helpful resources.
Western Washington
Skagit Valley Viewing - Skagit County
The Skagit Valley supports the largest concentration of wintering Trumpeter Swans in North America as well as thousands of Tundra Swans. The swans are present from early November through mid-late March. The best time of the year is late December through February. There are many places in the general Skagit Valley agricultural fields for viewing. Â
     As you drive around please be aware of parking limitations on the sides of the roads in most areas. Take a drive around Fir Island and then out through the main valley floor to see mixed flocks of Trumpeter and Tundra swans as they feed on post-harvest potatoes and corn as well as pasture grass and/or winter wheat/rye fields. Take various side roads as swans can be tucked into areas not obvious from only the main roads. The swans move around the valley to various places throughout the winter. Also note the thousands of Snow Geese that winter here. This area also supports a diversity of shorebirds and raptors.Â
Johnson-DeBay Swan Reserve - Skagit County
This site was created by a public/private partnership in 2001. Its primary purpose is to provide quality public viewing of swans during their winter stay. It is owned and managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) as part of their Skagit Wildlife Area.
A Discover Pass is REQUIRED to park in all improved parking areas on WDFW lands. You can purchase this permit at any store that sells hunting and fishing licenses or on-line WDFW or State Parks. For a list of vendors in this area visit: https://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/parking
Pets Must Remain in the Vehicle
Open Hours:
About 8:00 A.M. until dusk.
The Reserve is open to the public every day. Please remember that even if the gates are closed you may still park in the outer lot and walk around the gate to bird watch within the Reserve.
The past few years the swans have been moving about and can be found in the Reserve and in the surrounding fields adjacent to the Reserve. You may see hundreds of Trumpeter Swans, a few Tundra Swans, Canada Geese, and thousands of ducks of several species including Mallards and Pintails. Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers and Cooper’s Hawks are common raptors and many other bird species are possible during this time of year.
Crops Planted:Â This site is usually planted in corn or potatoes depending on the rotational cropping plan. In addition, there may be winter wheat/rye grass planting or over-seeding harvested corn areas that attract swans. Yellow nutsedge, a favorite food for ducks, geese and swans also grows in the fields here. The standing corn is knocked down in early February to provide an additional swan food resource. While this area is not hunted, corn cannot be legally knocked down before the end of waterfowl hunting season at the end of January.
 For the best viewing bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope and wear warm clothing during the fall-winter period. Photographic opportunities are often spectacular in this area, especially during swan season.
     As you drive around please be aware of parking limitations on the sides of the roads in most areas. Take a drive around Fir Island and then out through the main valley floor to see mixed flocks of Trumpeter and Tundra swans as they feed on post-harvest potatoes and corn as well as pasture grass and/or winter wheat/rye fields. Take various side roads as swans can be tucked into areas not obvious from only the main roads. The swans move around the valley to various places throughout the winter. Also note the thousands of Snow Geese that winter here. This area also supports a diversity of shorebirds and raptors.Â
For the best viewing bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope and wear warm clothing during the fall-winter period. Photographic opportunities are often spectacular in this area, especially during swan season.
 As you drive around please be aware of parking limitations on the sides of the roads in most areas. Take a drive around Fir Island and then out through the main valley floor to see mixed flocks of Trumpeter and Tundra swans as they feed on post-harvest potatoes and corn as well as pasture grass and/or winter wheat/rye fields. Take various side roads as swans can be tucked into areas not obvious from only the main roads. The swans move around the valley to various places throughout the winter. Also note the thousands of Snow Geese that winter here. This area also supports a diversity of shorebirds and raptors.
Gate: The gate is usually left open. However, if the gate is closed and/or locked, please park in the outer lot and walk into the Reserve. The Reserve is open for visiting all year round. The reason for the gate to be closed is to prevent garbage dumping and vandalism at this site. This has been an on-going problem and has been reduced by gate closure.
Bob Heirman Wildlife Park at Thomas’ Eddy – Snohomish County
The 340-acre Bob Heirman Wildlife Park at Thomas’ Eddy is one of the best places in Snohomish County for bird-watching, harboring wintering Trumpeter Swans and a few Tundra Swans and as well as ducks, geese and other water birds. It is a Snohomish County Park.
From the trailhead, follow an old road that now serves as the preserve’s central trail down a short but steep bluff to check out both Robins Pond and Shadow Lake out on the floodplain area at the bottom of the bluff. During the winter months Shadow Lake is a major night roost for Trumpeter Swans and a few Tundra Swans especially in late November through December. The best time to see swans is about an hour before sunset and again in the early morning hours. The spectacle of hundreds of swans flying into and then out of this night roost is amazing. Optics and a camera are recommended.
Please Note: Dogs are prohibited. This is a wildlife preserve.
Kent – Sumner – Puyallup Area – Southwest King County/North Pierce County
This area has a diversity of agricultural and wetland/lake habitats that support a wide variety of birds including wintering Trumpeter Swans. There is no one specific area, just driving around looking for farm fields that have harvested corn or pasture grass, especially around dairy farms. Use the interactive map to help you navigate a route.   Â
A few notable places are:Â
Kent Ponds (officially titled the Green River Natural Resources Area)Â
Maris Farms – East of Lake Tapps on Sumner Buckley Hwy and Buckley Tapps Hwy E
Spooner Farm corn maze -Â 96th St E and Hwy 162, Puyallup
Carpinito Farms corn maze - Kent Valley area at 277th and W Valley Hwy
Fields south of Sumner off SR 410, going south on Riverside Rd E. Look around in the fields, then go east on 86th St E almost to the end. Swans often are seen here when corn has been planted.
Check out eBird for the recent sighting in this area.
Sequim Area - Clallam County
Swans are found during the winter months in many areas north of Highway 101 between Sequim and Dungeness to the north. Drive the various roads and look at any of the agricultural areas, including all pasture or crop land. Some suggested roads with consistent swan sightings include Schmuck Road, Port Williams Road, E Anderson Road, Lotzgesell Road, Woodcock Road and Kitchen-Dick Road. You can stop in at the Dungeness River Nature Center at 1943 W Hendrickson Rd, Sequim. They will have up-to-date information on where to find swans and lots of other birds in this area.
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge - Clark County
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is about 30 miles north of Vancouver, WA and parts are adjacent to the Columbia River. It has a wide variety of waterfowl including wintering Tundra and Trumpeter Swans. For specific information about this diverse NWR please use the Plan A Visit link. There are trails and driving areas for viewing.
Chehalis Valley-Elma Area - Grays Harbor County
The Chehalis Valley has many dairy farms which support wintering swans from the corn and pasture grass grown for their dairy cows. The Brady Loop Road is a reliable place to see Trumpeter and possibly a few Tundra Swans each winter. Drive along other roads as well and you will likely find more swans in various wetlands as well as at other dairies in the valley.
Woodland Bottoms Area – Cowlitz County
Just across the Columbia River and just north of Sauvie Island, Oregon also a good place to view waterfowl and sometimes swans.
This is a complex area with roads and wetlands and the Lewis River on both sides of I-5. Explore this area by looking at the map and finding roads that take you by the wetlands/river areas east of I-5 and then a bit to the east. Tundra Swans often winter here along with many species of waterfowl and raptors. Use any places with access to the river, and drive any open roads looking for raptors, Sandhill Cranes, and Great Egrets as well as swans.
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Eastern Washington
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge - Spokane County
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1937 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, encompasses over 23,000 acres of the Channeled Scablands habitat of eastern Washington. There is much to see here, including a pair or two of Trumpeter Swans that stay year round. In the spring, Tundra and Trumpeter Swans migrate and stopover in this important waterfowl habitat along with large numbers of other waterfowl. There are often two pairs of Trumpeter Swans that breed here each spring and summer.
Learn more by visiting their website using the Plan A Visit button and use the map to learn more about how to get to the refuge.
Columbia National Wildlife Refuge - Grant and Adams Counties
Columbia NWR offers a wide variety of habitats and places to view wildlife, including a few Trumpeter Swans. With dozens of lakes, numerous trails, and abundant wildlife, visitors have a variety of activities available. The dramatic landscape is sure to spark an interest in the geologic forces that shaped the refuge, while the constant migration of birds makes the refuge a special place to view wildlife. Trumpeter Swans may be seen during the winter here, but most often they are observed during the fall and spring migrations.Â
To learn more about this amazing National Wildlife Refuge please click on Plan A Visit.Â
Calispell Lake, Usk-Cusick Area – Pend Oreille County
Pend Oreille County and the Usk-Cusick area are in far northeast Washington. Calispell Lake is located south and west of Usk. This geographic area has a vast number of shallow wetlands, many along the roadsides, which supports a wide variety of waterfowl, especially in the spring. This area is a major spring migration corridor for many thousands of Tundra Swans. Several hundred Trumpeter Swans, also in spring migration, are likely mixed in with the Tundra swans. The best time for viewing swans is mid to late March depending on when the ice melts. On any given day you will see tens of thousands of waterfowl, especially Tundra Swans. There are also a variety of dabbler and diving ducks as well as Canada geese. You can drive around the lake on public roads: Westside Calispell Road, Bennett Road, and McKenzie Road at the north end. The entire lake shoreline is private. Please respect the fenced boundaries. A spotting scope, and a camera with long lenses will yield spectacular viewing and photos.Â
Please note that in the spring, there are herds of elk everywhere, including using any and all the roads as travel corridors.Â