We stayed there July 7th to July 10th at full serviced loop. There was lot of noise from…read moreconstruction going on nearby, but much worse was that some idiot decided to close ALL access to the river, they even stopped water flowing in the small creek. Temperature was 99F, hot as hell, no water to cool off. We tried shower, but after 5 seconds water got hot and when we tried to adjust it, it turned off. We chose this park because it was by the river and were hoping to swim or float. I would expect that they would inform the coming guests about restriction of access to the river. We will never go back!!!

Great ranger George ! Very helpful ! Showers need a bit of work but nice little pond and good…read morelocation without traffic .

This is the most wonderful place. Owners and staff made us feel at home. We had a few snafus and…read morethey were ready to more than help us! No place better to feel loved and taken care of!

just now Came here for horseback riding today! John was…read moresuper friendly and easily taught us how to ride the horses. We borrowed some socks and shoes and went for both indoor/outdoor and a couple trails for about an hour and a half. We got to learn about each of the horses and I actually ended up learning a lot about how they take care of them and train them. Very knowledgeable information! They seem to be pretty busy but they were generous enough to squeeze us in. I would definitely recommend this place if you are ever visiting Yakima!

Locals suggested this nearby spot for quick fishing…read more Up along the scenic White Pass highway. Amazing backdrop of gigantic basalt volcanic rock. The pond itself is tiny; you can almost land your lure on the opposite bankside if you try. Folks fishing and picnicking all around the pond. Tiny stocked trout is what you will play with. A couple spots to access the Naches River though the fast flow seems unlikely to catch anything. Bathrooms available, clean grounds. Beautiful nature scenery. Nice park.

I know my blood is surely super-scrumptious, but the mosquitoes at White Pass…read more(http://www.yelp.com/biz/shoe-lake-hike-via-pacific-crest-trail-naches) wear DEET chemical suits and had at my friend & I with abandon. Because of this, we amscrayed down the road from the Pass (to get away from the skeeter-infested lakes)--we didn't want to get a gory goose egg hikewise. :::::::::: ENTER Sand Ridge Trail :::::::::: We eye-spied this trailhead wile driving up to White Pass. It's a bit nondescript and easily ignorable while driving past it, but it turned out to be a decent gem. The trailhead has a fairly large area with a couple of large areas for parking. There's a portapotty thingie. There's a trailhead board with info about the trail (wish it had a topo map). You need a Wilderness Pass to use the trail (or you could leave $5 in the box). ** Off we went ** The trail quickly slaps you up-side the head with elevation. Now I'm a berry-feasting-fiend, so I was on the prowl. After the first switchback I spotted a some tiny mountain strawberries. They were a tad larger than peas, but they pack some potent punch. So, I made like a bear for a few moments and gorged (sorta like the skeeters from the Pass) ;) Then off we went. The weather was so-so on this summer day, but it was actually perfect hiking weather. It wasn't super hot, and the moments of rain were refreshing. We reached the top of the ridge fairly quickly. Within a few minutes we came across three people on horseback, and made small talk. We then pressed on, and came to a fork. Being Native, I have to claim above-average tracking skills. I was able to determine that the horses came from the trail to our right (which looked to go down the other side of the ridge). We decided to take the left one and continue along the ridge. The ridge went on quite a bit and actually continued gaining in elevation. We were waiting for nice views, but we were too surrounded by pines to sport a window. The trail continues like this for a while--a bit ho-hum. But after about 2.5-3 miles we sorta hit a leveling off of the ridge. I also noticed some sandy conditions on the trail....hence the name: Sandy Ridge. Up on top we managed to find a few views. We also noticed the return of: **drumroll** mosquitoes! So, at this point, we decided to turn around. Going down was no big whoop. Although I must admit to snagging a few more strawberries again. :) *************** EPILOGUE: After getting home, scoured the topo for the area we turned around and sure enough, we happened to be near a few alpine lakes up on top. It woulda been cool to check 'em out. We'll save that for next time, later in the season, when it's cooler, and the mosquitoes are sleeping.

My fiancé and I along with our small dog enjoyed this trail. We hiked it July 28 and literally…read moredidn't encounter a single mosquito like others have said. The Mosquitos are only a problem in the spring and early summer here I would imagine. The first mile or two of the trail was rather silt-dusty. 3 or so miles into the trail it forks and you can either stay on the trail or take shell rock trail through miss covered stands of old growth pines. There is only a 15 min stretch where you have very good views. We really enjoyed this trail and would recommend it to most. It seems steep and difficult for the first hour but the entire trail is shaded and it levels off after a few miles into a very pleasant and beautiful hike.

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.

It was closed when I tried to visit on 03/04/2025 due to mud. 'Twas a bummer I wasn't able to visit…read morewhile I was in town for training. I appreciate they are holding the integrity of not allowing the trail to be ruined or destroyed.

Absolutely a local jem for the surround valley community…read more Hike, bike and dog-friendly. Miles of rolling sagebrush singletrack elevation grade for the recreational visit, rock steep to steeper sections near the edge of canyon will give a challenging cardio workout. Some trails drop into the canyon itself for the basalt cliff and Cowiche Creek experience. Acres of beautiful wildflowers in the springtime. Summer caution ~ rattlesnakes are more than common, so keep pup on leash! Best sunrise & sunset view in the valley.

Once upon a time these cliffs and the surrounding rocks were barren of life. Volcanoes spewed lava…read moreforth over the landscape. As the lava cooled to match the temperature of the atmosphere structures developed within the lava flows. These structures are on full display in the Selah Cliffs. Millions of years later life is thriving here, and one species known as the Basalt Daisy is in high abundance here. Conservation efforts to protect and preserve both the natural landscape and native wildlife has resulted in the Selah Cliffs Natural Area Preserve. Just North of Selah driving North on Washington State Route 821 the adventure begins just past the 'Entering Yakima River Canyon' sign on the right hand side of the road. A short gravel road branching off at the truck turnaround leads to a looped gravel road with a parking lot on the side of the loop nearest the Preserve. A Discover Pass is needed to park here or incur a $99 fine. Interpretive signs along the trail throughout the Preserve aid in thinking about the natural significance and history of this area and how that connects to later human activity in the area. Millions of years from now these cliffs and the plains of the valley may be part of a lush jungle boasting life such as Saber-toothed Tigers, Jaguars, and Ocelots. Go Jaguars, nature's powerhouses of South and Central America! The creek may become a river and this once barren landscape may evolve into a green oasis similar to, though not the same as, the barren volcanic islands of Hawai'i later fostering diverse plant life once the volcanoes that form each island stop erupting. Nature can change in drastic ways. Embrace the passing of time and the changes in life it brings.

Beautiful hike up the trail that Yakima Supreme Court justice - William O Douglas - used to hike…read moreduring his childhood. He had a polio like illness as a boy that left his legs weak and he found the outdoors to be both his playground and his gym! There's some really nice signage around the trail that explains how profound of an influence this area had on him personally and professionally! The hike starts out via the greenway or at Harlan Landing - off the ramp into Selah. There's a recent additional start to the hike that was recently added on the path from Harlan's landing and it makes the whole thing much shorter. The hike starts over a small flat area after which you go under some train tracks. The hike up the hill is a good steep climb but our 3, 5 and 7 year olds were able to trek it with minimal help. It was a tougher climb for the 3 year old and he spent a good portion on my shoulders but it didn't make the climb terrible on me. Up top the views of the valley, both Yakima and Selah were very pretty! There are some power lines and a cell station up top with a small abandoned shed next to it. It was a good spot for the little guys to explore and made for some solid pictures. The hike took us about 1.5 hours and was about 3 miles round trip from the parking lot. Not to long and with great views - (Adams is huge on a sunny day!) it's a wonderful way to spend your day!