Wildfire center on road to Chelan is birder stop, too

Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center, Site 22 from "Cascade Loop" of Audubon Washington's Great Washington State Birding Trail

Location: Off Highway 97A, about a mile north of Entiat, Chelan County. A good stop on the way to or from Lake Chelan.

Habitat: Nonprofit foundation's 10 acres of sagebrush and ponderosa pines. Billed as the world's first center for education, training, research and interpretation of wildland fire. More information: www.wildfirecenter.org.

Best seasons for birding: Spring through fall.

Birds commonly seen: Early morning birders reap rewards. Migrants include western tanagers, Bullock's orioles, spotted towhees, and yellow-rumped warblers. Watch for mountain chickadees, Say's phoebes, white-crowned sparrows, western kingbirds, pine siskins. Canyon wrens, Steller's jays, black-billed magpies, and California quail are resident. Scan hillsides for bald and golden eagles.

Visitor tip: "Trail of Fire and Forest" half-mile interpretive walk follows level gravel paths through rock outcroppings, with 12 interpretive stops and two fire lookouts. Avoid summer midday heat.

Getting there: From Highway 97A at Milepost 216.8, turn west, park at visitor center.

Source: Audubon Washington, Great Washington State Birding Trail maps. See maps online (or order hard copies, $4.95 apiece), at wa.audubon.org.