Bay Center is located about midway along the eastern margin of Willapa Bay on a northwest projecting peninsula. It presents a variety of contrasting habitats where intertidal biota intermeshes with upland fields, brush and forest. The area is sparsely populated with many of the human inhabitants involved in oyster farming or commerical fishing. With the changing tides come different presentations for observation and photography.
Over 200 species of birds have been identified from the Bay Center area in the past twenty years. Large flocks of migrating species including the shorebirds, ducks and geese utilize the protected fields and intertidal areas.The riparian and forested areas create many gradational environmental elements adding to the area diversity. Good viewing of both the diked tideland and intertidal margins along the Palix River is possible from the two mile long Dike Road. A forested public park and picnic area at the tip Goose Point provides a nice place to observe Willapa Bay and have lunch.
Bone River enters Willapa Bay a couple of miles north on highway 101. Nearly the entire watershed of this small stream is now a preserve with the state and The Nature Conservency.