Gave this trail another try & thought it was worthy of an update. Instead of driving to the top of…read moreHorse Heaven, I parked at the "official trailhead" at the base of the "hill". Wanted to ride the trail here, but within tens of feet, I was sadly turned away....by gravity. Yeah, I had to get off and walk. I then made it to a point and saw where the trail ultimately went. Ummm...scary. The only way I could make it to the top was if there was a "mountain bike escalator"--until that happens, this trail is strictly for the big-quaded hikers! PLAN B I took the gravel road (for autos) to the top of Horse Heaven (and to the trailhead I parked at last time). It's a nice steady 2-mile climb. My legs were feeling it, and I was liking it. To your left are the beautiful Horse Heaven Hills and the sky; to your right, the towns of Kiona, Prosser, and wineries---all from a stellar birdseye viewpoint. I heard a gunshot at one point. This caused me to stop and scan the farms below, but I couldn't see anything. I continued up at a cautious cadence. I made it to the top trailhead, and continued along the ridge trail (the one I tried last year--see my original Yelp). A personal note---this time I didn't have to walk up the hill. I made it all the way up via pedal power (stopped once, cuz of a balance issue, but got back in the saddle and finished off the hill---rocks, burly wind, and all). The descent was definitely sexy. There's nothing like barreling down a hill like a mad demon. At only a 20min drive away, this is a decent option for getting a quick leg workout. UPGRADE TO 3.5 stars (rounding UP).

Walk, drive, ride. It's you rchoice. Do you remember that…read moresong which includes," kiss the sky"? here is your chance. It's a vast open sky and view of lots of sand.

The gravel parking lot is right off the side of the road, and I originally drove past it without…read morerealizing that was the lot. So, I had to turn around and drive back, which was slightly nerve-wracking as the highway has some twists and turns that make it difficult to tell if there is oncoming traffic. On the plus side, there seems to be plenty of room for parking, and we were the only ones there. There's a sign detailing the legend of the twin sisters, and then there's a short but steep trail to the base of the rocks. Great place to stretch your legs!

Beautiful site. Easy trail. A bit more difficult incline. Enjoyed it. Turning off the road was not…read moreas difficult as they say. Just prepare ahead of time warning drivers behind you. Several people did come flying in like bats out of hell but there is no need for that.

Badger Mountain has the best trails in the tri-cities area, with multiple trails around Badger…read moreMountain for beautiful views of eastern Washington. Anyone who likes hiking would be a fool to not hike around Badger Mountain while in the area. We had an awesome time here! My partner and I visited Badger Mountain for some hiking and and followed Google Maps to the trailhead that took us through an affluent part of the neighborhood of Richland that's high up in the mountains. Unlike in the Seattle area of popular trails, there was parking to be found during a Sunday afternoon in the lot. At the lot, there was a map of various trails, dog poop bags and off to the side was a small playground area with bathrooms and a water fountain. My partner and I hiked the Canyon Trail with our dog, which gets you to the top of Badger Mountain. Friends of Badger Mountain, which maintains the trails did a fantastic job with creating trails and there are even stairs in the beginning part of the hike to climb. The hike was easy for those who are used to hiking, but provides a good workout as it's not a stroll in the park. At the top of Badger Mountain is a bench and you can see beautiful views of the city and eastern and central Washington. And since there are multiple trails that connect to one another, I recommend taking one trail up and the descending on another trail for more views. Just remember that there is no shade coverage here, so be prepared. Great hike!

The playground area is a perfect age entire while the littles wait for others to hike the mountain!…read more It is clean and green!

This hike will get your heart rate up in the first five minutes. It took me a total of 15 minutes…read moreto get to the top. I would plan on about 45 minutes to an hour total to give you time to get up, enjoy the view and head down. As a kid we called this the, "hike to the cross" because of the metal cross at the top. At the top your reward is that view of West Richland/Richland and the satisfaction you made it. We had all different ages (7-65) and everyone lived to tell about it. At the park they have playground equipment with swings, slides and monkey bars. There is also a gazebo and horse shoe pits.

It's hands-down the best park in West Richland. Actually it's more than a park: it's a hub for the…read moreWest Richland community. There's a sandy mountain to climb, there's shade, there's sports, and there's lovely concerts! Ah the concerts. Flat Top Park is home to some of the local talent here. During the summer there are weekly FREE concerts ranging from patriotic to steel drums to jazz & blues. These shows are a gem of West Richland and this park seems to have some of the most wonderful events that are not going to be too crowded! The evening shows are great for a picnic! For a schedule, check out this link: http://www.westrichland.org/ConcertSeries.cfm Hogs & Dogs seems to be a popular event, it is a motorcycle show hosted nearby at the Bombing Range Sports Complex. I'm not into motorcycles but it is consistently well-attended Oops, I forgot about the rest of the park! There's this big sandy mountain behind the park that offers a pretty good view of the Tri-Cities area. Sledding? This is the best steep spot in the Tri-City area, it's not for the faint of heart and I swear I almost broke my neck when I got too bold one snowy day. But seriously, it's the best! The rest of the park is very nice, but these are the exceptional points. Sledding and shows, and hiking! Don't miss this friendly spot.

When people ask about things to do in the Tri-Cities, I usually say, "you have to drive an hour or…read moretwo to find somewhere cool." (This was because I was lazy). I think one can find ANYTHING unique and cool WHEREVER they live. So, I've been trying to open my eyes to local options. Rattlesnake Mountain is said to the be the "highest mountain west of the Mississippi WITHOUT a tree on it". I don't know about that lofty claim, but that's its claim to fame. Rattlesnake Mountain ("Lalíik" name of mountain in Wanapum) always seemed elusive. Part of it is owned by a farmer (I on the western slope), while the eastern slope is under control of the Arid Lands Ecological Reserve. This is a huge ridge and the southern part of the ridge is where one can find hiking options. Right off of SR225, one can find a few trailheads. So, if you're traveling from SR240, go past the shooting range and then keep an eye out for a couple of trailheads to your left (if you're coming from Benton City, as soon as you pass the last house, the two trailheads will be on your left. The big trailhead is hard to miss and has a big sign marking itself. This is where some people unload their horses for rides up the Rattlesnake Slope. The other trailhead (a little more west) is small, and can fit only about 3 vehicles. Both trailheads have trails which head up the Slope. They join within a few minutes of traveling north. Once the trails are joined one then hikes up a canyon. The trail is basically a rutted road (perhaps access road for the powerlines you walk under while hiking). The hike in the canyon is nice and somewhat protected from the elements. Keep an eye out for wildlife. There are deer, coyotes, and elusive elk among the local inhabitants. Once you pop up out of the canyon you are in the grassy sage steppe of southeastern Washington. You can see the breath-taking expanse of land leading up to Rattle Mountain---"wow, the Tri-Cities is nearby??" One has a couple of options now. One can continue to hike on the main trail--this goes onto the flatlands below Rattlesnake Mountain, or one can take the less tread path which goes up to Rattlesnake Ridge (basically you walk along a barbed wire fence. We went up. This isn't for the weary. The hike is fairly vertical, and climbs up fast, but what a view. One can see LIGO (http://www.yelp.com/biz/ligo-hanford-observatory-richland), most of the Hanford Reservation, and quite a bit of the Tri-Cities and other nearby & smaller mountains (such as Badger {http://www.yelp.com/biz/badger-mountain-trails-richland}). All in all this is nice walk with great views. A good option for "something to do in the Tri-Cities".

This park spans part of the Yakima River out near Rattlesnake Mountain and sorta near where I work…read more I believe the park is fairly long, but I mainly have went to the main park area which is just off the 225. Here there is a campground, large grassy fields (for doggies to run like maniacs), a boat launch, hiking paths, and bathrooms. I've been here to run my dogs around, attempt some fly fishing (we were skunked), and most recently to geo-cache. Oh, and apparently, you can also ride your horse around here as well. Interesting.

One of my customer told me about this park... He said that theres a flock of pelicans in this park…read more At first I cant believe it so I asked him again and he said clearly yes theres pelicans in this park. So I asked my husband...Iasnt it pelicans are suppossed to be in the Ocean? You know Salt Water Ocean? He said yes... And so today we agreed to go in there and to my surprised.."YES!" Theres alot of pelican in there and some other kind of birds that I never seen before here in the tri-cities.. I also saw some herons...WOW! this is the first time I saw pelicans and herons...really neat! I cannot really go so close but I told somepictures from the side of the water. It was neat. The park itself is not that big though I saw few trais and some camp site with RV Parking (with electrical plugs and water faucets)... each parking has a picnic tables too. The bathrooms are surprisingly clean even the park look like deserted. You should try to go to this park if you want to see something new.

Nestled within the elbow of the mighty Columbia as it makes its last dash Pacific-ward are the…read moreFinley Hills Trails. This area is known as the Wallula Gap & you are gifted with views of this natural wonder....after you ride through some sandy, desolate, and sweat-inducing trails (that can sometimes have a rattler or few). So, I have looked at this area from afar (by car when heading down to Walla Walla, or by train window when going to Portland), and have always loved the terrain. Here, the Columbia cuts through what must have once day been a mountain, and now we're left with a mini-canyon with high walls. I always assumed the views from atop these walls must be awesome, and they are. Getting here is a short jaunt from the Tri-Cities, and yes, you do drive through Finley (it's not that scary, actually). Most of the drive is paved save for the last mile. There's an area to park your car (it isn't marked, but the Yelp Map should give ya a good idea). Once parked, cross the road you were just on and make your way through the gate/fence. Then you're in. There's the main road/trail here. I heard there is atleast one single track you can also take here if you take an immediate left, but it wasn't illuminated to me (grasses overtook it methinks). At any rate, just follow the road. The riding is decent, but it does get sandy in parts. If it's windy (which is frequently on the menu at the Wallula Gap), you will wish you had a mask like Darth Vader. I rode a few miles and saw no other bikers, but did see people on horseback. I was frequently on the lookout for rattlesnakes. It was a hot day, and my friend mentioned they also like this area (I never came across a single one). After a tough arduous workout, I spied some sort of Tower (probably cellular) and made my way toward it. Here is reward for all the pain and suffering. This is a perch with the views to make memories. Here you can see Mr. Columbia's elbow. You're going to be high up along cliff's so don't be too daring. It's a bit rocky here, too, so mind your knees and don't do the falling thing. This is what made it all worth it. Great views, great views, great views. Next time, I'd probably try this during a less windy and earlier in the season (to avoid the dryness factor). But all in all, a new local biking option has been found.

A great place to Wander…read more Tip#1: If you're using Google Maps to find this place, simply put in "Yellepit", and it will get you there. On the sunny Saturday that I visited, sleepy tumbleweeds lined Ayers Road, the gravel stretch that ultimately leads to the trailhead. Admittedly, it was alarming to come over a hill to see an armed man standing in the road facing me, but he, his rifle, and the other men, were there for some shooting fun. Not too far past them, was the end of the road - or rather, a closed, barbed wire gate. There's only space for about 2 parked cars to the right of the road, by the fence. I was the third, so just parked as far on the side as I could. Tip #2: Climb (carefully) OVER the barbed wire fence. Just to the left of the opening, is a good place to do this. Do not (as I did), try to open the gate. It's easy to open - it nearly literally flies open -- the barbed wire and wooden planks eager to return to their at-ease positions, and is notably much less easy to close/reassemble. I felt very, very, "city" when this happened, and I struggled for a few minutes to amend the situation. Tip #3: See Tip #2 for the following 2 barbed-wire fences you'll encounter. I crossed paths with very few people along the way, and none seemed to have a true plan of action. A couple gentlemen I encountered had been out, wandering the cow trails, and told me to just carve my own path, be wary of the drop-offs. Tip #4: Be comfortable with unclear directions, unmarked pathways, and changes-in-plan. Or perhaps, don't do this hike. I ended up on cow-trails myself, learning a bit about their dexterity along the narrow stretches. I was impressed! In any case, I missed whatever direction would have led me to the Mound Pond Overlook, which had been my goal, but still discovered worthy vistas and a very peaceful area to spend the afternoon. At one point, I was startled to happen upon two cars, on a bluff, that appeared to have fallen from a cliff above - perhaps in the 70s/80s(?). It's not really something you expect to encounter when wandering cow trails high above the Columbia. It was a gorgeous afternoon - and once I got far enough away from the makeshift gun range, it was also peaceful. This is a great hiking area if you are: 1. Comfortable with general wandering 2. Not afraid of armed people shooting nearby 3. Directionally sound enough to find your way back to your car, once you've been wandering around 4. Love and appreciate views of the Columbia River 5. Comfortable with wandering cows Final Tip: Check out the wta.org site for more trail info. This ultimately *still* didn't get me to where I wanted to be, but was helpful, nevertheless.

Meh...Not the greatest hiking spot…read more We were looking for a place to get out for a short hike while driving through the area. Chamna has a load of cross-crossing paths along the river adjacent to the freeway. There's a nice, big parking lot and pretty good signage through the preserve. The trails look like they'd be enjoyable for those on trail bikes...not so much for those on foot. Part of the paths are very narrow and winding. Fun to traverse on a bike I'm sure, but it was pretty boring for us. No real scenery especially this time of year, and although dogs are supposed to be leashed we saw a lot of poop on and around the trails and a couple off leash while we were there.

A nice easy hike with distances you can customize, depending on how far you want to go and what…read moreyou'd like to see. The trail that runs closest to the river has very lush vegetation and reminded us, at times, of scenes out of "The Lord of the Rings," complete with huge spider webs at one point. You can bring dogs on a leash and pick up after your pet. Sadly, we did see a couple of filled poop bags left along the trail. We also saw horse poop and a group on horseback so you need to watch where you are walking on the wider open trails. It was nice to come across many signs which show you exactly where you are and where the trails will lead. It was strange to hear the traffic from the nearby highways, but as a visitor from the Midwest, I found this to be a pleasant, manageable hike with a unique change of scenery. A great variety of wildflowers and plants can be seen along the trails. I was wearing shorts but I recommend long pants so your legs don't get scratched up by the plants along the trail. Plus, I was so afraid of finding a rattlesnake or huge spiders on the trail, from the size of the webs we saw. It was nice to walk where there were trees for shade too, as it made for a much cooler hike. Great place for a family hike.