1 min
Overview
During World War II, Oregon’s second-largest population center was set up at Camp Adair in northern Benton County to accommodate the training of four infantry divisions, about 40,000 military personnel at any one time, for the conflict. Residents of the small farming community of Wells were moved, and a grid of paved roads, easily visible on Google Earth, was constructed. About 1,800 buildings were erected in the six months after Pearl Harbor, and their concrete foundations and the road remain. After the war, the place became a POW camp for German and Italian soldiers and then was handed over to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to become the E.E. Wilson State Wildlife Area. Soon thereafter, a breeding facility was set up for ring-necked pheasants. The birds, which would not survive very long in the wild on their own, are released on a daily basis in October for the fall hunt. There are also cages with various species of pheasants on display, but the main attraction for the public outside of hunting season is Angler’s Pond, a fishing venue stocked with at least six kinds of fish. The pond can be reached via the interpretive Lake Trail which loops back through a wetland. Note that this is a very short walk, and there is a $10 ODFW day-use fee. Also, you cannot purchase your day pass here, so it has to be done beforehand at the ODFW office off Highway 99 (See the Camp Adair Trailhead directions). You may want to combine this hike with that on nearby Coffin Butte to get your money's worth on the day. Next to the parking area is a memorial garden of monuments commemorating the four divisions that trained here during World War II. A kiosk has a log where visitors can list wildlife sightings. Also near the parking area is a series of cages containing some of the world’s most beautiful birds, including silver, golden, and Lady Amherst’s pheasants. Walk through a gate and up an old railroad grade. The site host has an RV to your left, and there are pheasant runs to your right. Just before a T-junction is a
Trail Stats
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Photos
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300px-EEWilsonMap
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250px-Camp_Adair_history%2C_E
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400px-Wetland_and_Coffin_Butte%2C_Lake_Trail%2C_E