The Friends of the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge will also offer a members-only barge trip to Long Island on Saturday afternoon.

After closing for a year while undergoing repairs, a pair of beloved trails within the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge will reopen to hikers this week, beginning with an opening ceremony at 8:45 a.m. Saturday.

The Willapa Art Trail and Cutthroat Climb, set against a backdrop of rain-soaked forestlands and the waters of Willapa Bay, will see guided hikes from 9 a.m. to noon.

Nature-based arts and crafts, like a salmon life cycle game, will also be offered at Cutthroat Creek, near milepost 24 along U.S. Highway 101.

“That location was really where people went when they went to the refuge,” Hope Presley, visitor services specialist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, said, adding that the trail closures have been significant.

Cutthroat Climb and the Willapa Art Trail are connected, but their terrain and difficulty levels differ.

The art trail is a boardwalk, and is flat and easy to maneuver. It’s only a 1/4-mile one-way, and seeing art along the way makes the short walk enjoyable.

“Along the boardwalk, there are various art installations that represent different wildlife species that are found in the area and their relationship with the habitat,” Presley said. Hikers can expect to see sculptures of salmon and birds, for example.

The bulk of art pieces along the trail were crafted by University of Washington public arts program students, but some new sculptures installed are the work of local artists from the Long Beach Peninsula.

Cutthroat Climb departs from the Willapa Art Trail. It’s a 1-mile uphill loop, covered by a forest canopy. Stairs are in place so people don’t have to climb the steep grade — and colorful art is here, too, found in bird sculptures by Becca Weiss. “It’s a little bit of a different feel, whereas the art trail focuses more on the estuary and the stream,” Presley said of Cutthroat Climb.

These trails give people of all ages the chance to connect with ecosystems of the refuge. “Not only is this a trail re-opening, but in my mind it’s a trail re-opening for the generation of refuge users,” Presley said.

Willapa Art Trail’s boardwalk was completely revamped during the repairs, replacing worn out wood with fresh materials. Cutthroat Climb had seen storm damage and fallen trees, Presley said, so those were cleared. A broken bridge over a creek was fixed as well.

Presley said these and other trails within the refuge attract locals as well as visitors making treks to the coast. In recent years, the refuge has expanded with the addition of the boardwalk, art and other new trails.

“It really highlights the emphasis of art and the community here on the Long Beach peninsula,” Presley said. “So it’s a really nice tie-in for the refuge to the community to show how we are part of the community.”

Willapa National Wildlife Refuge trails reopen

Opening ceremony, activities and guided hikes beginning at 8:45 a.m. Saturday near milepost 24 along U.S. Highway 101

At 2:45 p.m., the Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge will also host a barge trip and guided hike to Long Island, a part of the refuge accessible only by boat

www.fws.gov/willapa