Deer Island: Nature and History on the Columbia River

Wetlands, side channels, and wildlife habitats along the Columbia River shape Deer Island’s natural attractions. The area also has a walking trail near the Columbia River PUD charging station and a local history that dates back to before its founding in 1843. To understand the area, it is important to consider both its specific habitats and the broader Lower Columbia River.

Wetlands and Wildlife on the Columbia River

The Deer Island Conservation Opportunity Area provides habitat for Columbian white-tailed deer, migratory birds, and Coho salmon. It includes some of Oregon’s few populations of Columbian white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus leucurus), which are listed as threatened under federal law.

A large side channel cuts through Deer Island and was historically connected to the river’s tidal and flooding patterns. Deer Island Slough is a six-mile-long side channel separated from the Columbia River’s main channel. A 2009 assessment describes the Deer Island floodplain historically as a landscape of tidally influenced backwater and side-channel habitats, including Deer Island Slough. The same assessment places more than 1,821 hectares of the Deer Island area within the Columbia River floodplain.

Wetlands and adjacent agricultural lands in the Deer Island area provide significant waterfowl habitat in the Lower Columbia River. The islands in the Lower Columbia River associated with the Deer Island Conservation Opportunity Area also provide important habitat for migrating and wintering shorebirds and waterfowl. Thus, two scales are relevant when considering birdlife: the area’s wetlands and adjacent lands, and the broader island landscape of the Lower Columbia River.

An account published in 2016 reports that Deer Island can host 10,000 ducks at times during fall migration.

Wildlife Viewing and Walking Trail

An account published in 2026 names about 60 bird species recorded in surveys at Deer Island Slough, including White-breasted Nuthatches, Purple Martins, nesting Bald Eagles, and Great Egrets. Surveys at the slough also recorded six native reptile species and four native amphibian species. Deer Island Slough is also home to the largest turtle population in Columbia County.

There is an electric vehicle charging station at Columbia River PUD in Deer Island, with a scenic walking trail running through the station area. Chinook and Coho salmon were caught during a 2009 survey in the southern part of Deer Island Slough.

Local History and the Salmon Trade

Deer Island was founded in 1843. An earlier episode dates to 1829, when Captain John Dominis bought salmon from Indigenous people near Deer Island. He then became the first person to export preserved Pacific salmon to the East Coast. Salmon from the area were salted in 53 empty rum barrels and taken to Boston for sale.

Columbia Stock Ranch lies at the northern end of Deer Island Slough. It is a 550-acre property acquired by Columbia Land Trust in 2012. Between 2020 and 2022, Columbia Land Trust arranged the relocation of 37 Columbian white-tailed deer to the ranch.

Discover more destinations: Clatskanie, St. Helens.

Go to the main travel overview: Columbia County.