I have been in this state park on numerous occasions. Take my airstream and hang out. It's a…read moregreat place to stage for traveling up and down the river. RV sites are large and open for the most part with electric, water and sewer. The winds at night are a riot during the hot parts of the summer. They blow like crazy. There is a day park separate from the RV park that you can walk to to swim and/or just relax. During the summer it is always crowded. Vantage has a gas station with food if you need it. Gorge is very close. Across the river are parks that are supported by Grant County PUD which are very nice and usually not many people. I'm impressed with the money and resources that Grant County PUD has put into the area. Just south of the Wanapum on the same road is a small park on a lake (small) that no one is ever there. Called the cove. If you have a boat you are in heaven with the Colombia River at your call.

Fun little park with toys for kids and a dock for fishing. Wish I had a kayak with me. The water…read morelooked dirty and swampy. No way in hell I am swimming in that. Lots of parking very quaint. Nice day to visit

Nice clean recreation camping area developed by Grant County PUD…read more Nice bathrooms, well marked tent pads, river trails, paved. Pretty river views, looks to be open year round First bathroom gets a lot of use as a highway rest stop.

Fantastic recreation area. Well kept up by the staff and Rangers. Loved watching the occasional…read morefisherman's boat drift by. And as a very partime trainspotter, the few trains across the river added to the experience. Only (slight) drawn back were the noisy (and most definitely speeding) motorcycles and folks with more $ than brains racing down the road by Big Pines.

Even though it's not a five star campground...I have taken my husband and son here every year for…read morethe past five years. Why would we endure the heat, wind, no water, and sometimes site with no tree or shade? Because the canyon is gorgeous and the float is unbeatable in WA. Only go if you can get sites 1-5. The sun sets behind the hills earlier so you get some shade there. But God forbid you go on a 107F day like we did last August...after one dày of floating and sitting in our camp chairs in the river (our site had no trees and only our canopy) we gave up and drove home because the heat in the tent was unbearable. A couple years we only took one vehicle and managed to hitch hike from Big Pines back north to the vehicle to get it after floating (since the only road out goes along the river). Some years we take two vehicles, which is best. If you are up for an adventure or maybe you have an RV, you might try coming here to camp!

This is a very clean, very quiet, and very beautiful State Park. The views of the Columbia River…read moreare stunning! The bathrooms and showers are always clean. And the staff are so nice and helpful. The only thing I'd warn newcomers about is the wind. It gets very VERY WINDY!!! I mean nearly every night! So if you're tent camping be sure you bring extra stakes. If your camper camping pull in your awnings before the dying goes down or you'll wish you had. But other than that, which isn't a bad thing if you expect it, this is the perfect camping spot.

* Summer Flashback * When I think of state parks and forests…read morein Washington, I always assume they'll consist of lush green foliage. However, Eastern Washington takes on a totally different landscape! The Gingko forest was dry like a desert and I immediately felt like I was transported to a different state. The park is split into two main areas which both require the Discover Pass or $10 for admission. The first area is home to the gift shop, interpretive center and stumps of petrified wood outside on display. This was my first time seeing any remains of petrified wood which are actually considered stone. The wood was smoothed over and some of the surfaces had developed shiny deposits! There are some plaques to read around the exhibit which describe the history of the land and provide more information on the petrified artifacts. It's an amazing realization that we were standing in an area that was once overtaken by lava flows. We could actually see lava remains on the grounds as well! From behind the interpretive center, you can get an expansive view of the Columbia River and Vantage Bridge. Inside, you'll find various types of petrified wood clearly labeled in glass displays which are definitely worth taking a moment to browse. A friendly park guide was also happy to answer any questions. About two miles up the road is a trail which apparently leads to petrified logs. Unfortunately, due to high fire risk (dry summer weather), this area was closed. Somewhere, you can see petroglyphs as well which we also missed this time around. While driving to and from this area, we spotted a herd of antelope! They were in the middle of the road and we caught a glimpse of them as they crossed right in front of us. What a sight! Overall, this is a park that everyone can enjoy, even those who cannot walk a far distance. The petrified wood and interpretive center at the first location is within a very short distance of the parking lot. While not exactly what I expected of a state park, it was still a fascinating visit. I couldn't help but marvel at all of the artifacts that originated from thousands of years ago. Stop by and touch a piece of history!

Canyon Road (also called Washington State Route 821) winds along the Yakima River on one side of…read morethe Yakima River Canyon (also called the Yakima Canyon) and a railroad runs along the other side of the canyon. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages lands in Yakima Canyon and there are a number of recreation sites open for day use and overnight use for a small fee. If you are just driving through you do not need to pay a fee. I paid for the day use permit at one of the recreation sites and then used it at the other site I stopped at in the Canyon as well since the pass is good for BLM managed lands. I recently drove through the Canyon from South (near Selah) to North (near Ellensburg). The ride provides stunning views of basalt cliffs and the Yakima River all the way. A BLM sign welcoming you to the Yakima River Canyon by the Selah Cliffs Natural Area Preserve marks the beginning of the drive/ride on the South side. There are abundant roadside pull-outs where you can stop to take pictures and take in the scenery. Keep an eye out for wildlife as you adventure. I saw deer, hawks, and other various birds in this area as well as a very cool metallic lime green colored bug. I got a handful of mosquito bites, and watch out for rattlesnakes. A number of trains carrying different loads rode the railroad tracks through the canyon while I was exploring. Though not so many as to detract from the peaceful and quiet nature of the Canyon.

Absolutely gorgeous! The river is calm, free of debris and makes for a magnificent float through…read morethis amazing Basalt canyon. A must see, and a nice contrast to the lush greens of the western side of the state.

Driving north on Washington State Route 821 (also called Canyon Road) on Monday the 29th of June…read more2020 I noticed a hawk soaring above the trees in front of the basalt cliffs at Umtanum Recreation Site. I had been debating about whether to stop or not and the hawk sealed the deal and I decided to stop and do some exploring. A sign marks the site's entrance along the highway and a gravel road leads to a few parking lots. I followed the road all the way to its end at the parking lot by the bridge across the Yakima River. Umtanum Recreation Site is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) managed land. Day use and overnight use fees are payable at the site. Discovery Passes so not work here. Day use permits are good all day at BLM managed lands. I had paid the day use fee and got my permit earlier in the day at the BLM managed Roza Recreation Site, and used that permit here as well. After putting the permit on my dashboard I did some exploring around the site. Restroom buildings are located at the far parking lot by the bridge and do not have running water. The campsites are spread out by the parking lot and near the main gravel road. Just past the far parking lot I walked a trail to a viewing area with benches looking out over the Yakima River. The area had a sign with some of the area's wildlife described. A nice elevated place to watch the river flow and look for wildlife. Making my way to the bridge across the river I noticed a ramp into the water. Along this ramp there are tips for floating the river and some fishing rules. No vehicles are allowed on the bridge crossing the river. The water moves fast here and the bridge creaked as I walked across it, making a harmonious collection of sounds as I crossed to the other side of the river. On the other side of the bridge is the Umtanum Creek Trail that some call the Umtanum Creek Recreation Area. There are rattlesnakes in this area so I kept my exploring closer to the water. The grass is tall immediately after the bridge, so I made my way to the river bank. Too freaked out by the thought of snakes falling out of the trees on my head or darting out at me from the grass I decided to make my way back across the bridge and towards the entrance. I walked the gravel road back to the entrance to take in the beautiful basalt cliffs on display at this area. On my walk I encountered a deer grazing in the grass and shrubbery. It startled as a car came along the road, maybe it had seen a rattlesnake, and crossed the road and left the recreation site. After looking around and exploring this stretch a little I made my way back to my car and noticed the moon out over the basalt cliffs. Time for my evening drive home.

My wife and I drove down canyon road, exploring the terrain that runs along the Yakima River in…read moresearch of potential bank fishing spots. We never found any promising fishing spots, but it was a beautiful and worthwhile drive for the river and canyon views. Driving into the canyon, the tree line stops before transitioning to prairie grasses. This was impressive to see since we had been living in dense mountain trees. While we didn't find any good bank fishing, there were quite a few river fishing boats floating in the water. I imagine that most of them had a guide manning the oars while the client tossed a fly in the water. There were too many of these boats in the water for this section of the stream not to be good for fishing. In fact, on the drive back, we did see someone reeling in a trout from one of these boats. In addition to fishing boats, there are a lot of tubers coasting downriver. This was clearly a very popular section of the Yakima River for water enthusiasts. It was as popular for fishing and tubing as the Wenatchee River was for rafting. During the drive down Canyon Road, we were just as likely to see vehicles pulling fishing boats and tubs as we were to see normal cars. Umtanum Creek was only one of multiple river access points. In addition to the drop in point, busy with multiple people attempting to drop in or take out their river craft, Umtanum also has a large bridge leading to trails on the other side. It did not seem tempting on the hot, sunny day that we were there, but it would certainly be unique to hike in the canyon prairie grasses since most other trails in the area are in the forest.

This is a great little self-guided tour where you walk a trail and view actual petrified wood in…read moreit's natural setting where it was found. Unfortunately thieves keep trying to break it and steal chunks of it so it has to be caged off like being locked up in a jail. The cage really obscures photographs but it's totally understandable since we are in a world full of thieves in undesirables. You will be up in a beautiful open desert setting. It is not beautiful like a forest but it is beautiful to see another type of landscape created for us.

Nice stop off I-90 if you need to stretch your legs and take a little walk. The interpretive…read morecenter itself has a movie showing how the petrified forest (petrified wood) came about. There are some neat displays, maybe about 10 minutes worth of looking. Great view of the Columbia and the Vantage bridge. You do need a discovery pass to park here, but you can buy a day pass or an annual pass inside from the Park Ranger. Also, a little ways down the street, there is a 3/4 mile short walk through the actual forest, and longer (3+ mile) trails which are signed.. Clean bathrooms and a friendly park ranger make this a nice little break from the car!

Well this is a hidden gem. It looks brand new, but I just bet people don't come out here to launch…read moretheir boats when there are so many other places to go like Moses Lake. You have to strike a good day when it's not so choppy out. When I created this profile, the wind was really strong. That wouldn't make for a good boating day but I'm sure not every day is as windy. There's restrooms here that seem well cared for and a short trail that leads to a tiny marina. Lot's or boat trailer parking and picnic tables. Like I've said..it all looks brand new. Beautiful view of the Vantage Bridge.