We decided to sneak in some trout fishing before going to a concert at the nearby Gorge…read moreAmphitheater, so we set up what turned out to be 1.5 great days with Stefan drift-boating on the Yakima. Stefan not only was a great guy to talk to, but he did a simply amazing job of putting us onto fish (e.g., "after this tree, there is some soft water on the seam where it drops off so cast it right there.") He also provided clear feedback when our mends got sloppy or we were missing strikes. It was unseasonably windy and cold in June so watch the weather and bring a beanie, a good fleece, and a good shell. Overall, we had a great time and I'd recommend this service to anyone. The canyon part of the Yakima, in particular, was very beautiful. And Sarah was a dream to work with on setting things up.

Great fishing with Todd on an amazing spring day on the Yakima. Todd was patient with us as newer…read moreanglers and really helped us improve our cast, mend, and set. He knows his stuff and the river. In the end we caught 5 fish between nymphing and dry flies and enjoyed a fantastic BBQ lunch on the beach. Highly recommended, will defiantly be back.

The views on this hike warrant a five star review for sure! Loads of waterfalls, mountains, and of…read morecourse trees and flowers to see on this route up to Rachel Lake. The problem? Not a clear trail at all. My hiking group and I found ourselves asking, "Is this trail?", numerous times on this extremely strenuous seemingly endless uphill trek to the lake. Now, granted, some of our group was in better shape than others and managed the physicality of the trail better than others but still we all agreed it was extremely hard. First you drive up a gravel road approximately 6 miles to get to the parking lot. One bathroom is available there which wasn't too gross. Once you enter the trail it starts heading up. And up and up and up. It is seemingly endless. I believe it about 4 plus miles up. The trail starts out fairly marked and easy to follow. Then it doesn't. Unfortunately I got separated from my group for a good portion of this hike due to my attempt to stay with the "faster" ladies, lol. I just kept going up. Thank goodness a few other people passed me to let me know I was on the right track. No trail at all really for a good portion and I merely followed a dry creek trail. Extremely rocky and loads of bushwhacking. I had to stop every five to ten feet to catch my breath. The steepness reminded me of a hike in Big Sur called Garrapata which after I competed that one I said I would never do again, lol. Now to the good parts of the hike. Gorgeous scenery beyond words! Loads of amazing waterfalls as you are following a creek flowing from a lake high above. The lake was outstandingly beautiful. I took a quick dip in the icy water at the top! Quickly it changed my outlook on the hike and cooled me off. Will I do it again? Maybe, but next time. I will bring more snacks for the hike that give me energy. I will start out slower and take more frequent deliberate breaks. And please please don't forget your mosquito repellent! Also, long pants as a large portion of this hike you go through tall grasses and overgrowth. I consider myself an experienced hiker when I was in CA, but here in WA, I am a beginner for sure. Stay hydrated and go at your own pace. This is worth it at least once. SYOY and No FOMO for me here! Lol.

Lake Rachel is a great hike if you're looking for a beautiful end view and lots of fun sights along…read morethe way. Unfortunately, the trail is not marked well and we went off path and up towards different falls a couple times but going off trail was worth it for the extra couple views we saw! Be prepared to get your feet wet and be careful climbing over the slippery rocks.

If you're planing to go camping, this is a beautiful lake to go to and there's a campground close…read moreby. First word that came to mind when I initially saw it was "pristine". It's a picture perfect lake. If you go early in the morning, the water is calm and it's so quiet. It's perfect fishing weather and trout is super easy to catch here. It's a two pole limit per person. There's quite a bit of activity in the afternoon during the summer of kayaking, tubing, rowing, etc. but the lake is large where it does not get crowded. No motorized boats allowed. The water is clear and a beautiful blue color. Be careful since it can get deep quick. The view is like no other with other mountains and trees surrounding it. Cooper Lake is small on the map, so not that many people go to it from what I have read. Cle Elm river and Kachess lake are nearby which is visited more.

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

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.

Went out chukar hunting this morning with my brother, we forgot shells. Figured we'd stop by Red's…read moreand pick some up. The staff were able to help us even with the power out. They even gave us some water bottles and some helpful advice. Highly recommend stopping by. The guided fly fishing trips are always a blast and the food is top notch!

Booked a float on the Yakima with guide Rocky Gibson. He was great. He is a high school teacher who…read moreguides on weekends and during the summers. He really knew the river well, and put us on fish all day, including several in the 17"-20" range. Highly recommend him!

They have the best group of guides on the river, their fly selection is impressive, and they're…read morejust a really nice, knowledgeable staff who loves to help customers be better anglers!

This fit shop provides exceptional customer service and outstanding selection of flies and gear…read more Highly recommend if you're in the area.

Gorgeous place! We were able to go snowshoeing for free! Plenty of parking on the side of the road…read more Highly recommend bringing hiking poles since it's super icy this season!

Definitely arrive early because the lot with fill up fast! A NW Forest pass is required for…read moreparking. This trail is very rocky so make sure to have good hiking shoes and trekking poles. There was also lots of bugs on this trail so definitely pack bug spray as well. The view is beautiful, a little crowded but I came around 7:30am so it wasn't too bad.

It's not the landscape, the wildlife, the trails or the views. It's the people. Most are…read moreperfectly fine and are out there to camp, hike, and fish for the sake of the activities. However, there is a percentage that is there because it's free and remote while still being accessible to a town where they can get their drug of choice. You'll recognize them by the ancient, filthy, motorhomes. My son was hiking with his girlfriend when they were approached by one of these "campers" who asked if they had any fentanyl to sell! Wow! Is there no where to escape this scrounge? Anywhere?

Mileage: estimated about 10 miles total (2 miles to where we set up our tents, then we hiked a loop…read moreof about 6 miles, then 2 miles back to the car the next day) Backpacked: April 16-17, 2016 This past weekend a group of us did an overnight backpack trek to Ancient Lakes. 3 first timers backpacking and it turned out to be an awesome trip! We had some problems trying to find directions out to the place, so here's directions from my personal experience. Directions: we stayed in Quincy the night before, so we took the 28 to Whitetail Road. Made a left on Whitetail from the 28, then a right on road 9 NW. follow road 9 NW and it turns into Ancient Lakes Rd NW. At the end of the road, you'll find the west parking lot. I am not sure how to get to the east parking lot. There's a lot of parking here, when we got there by 11 am, it was really crowded but we still found a spot. (When you are on Whitetail Rd, it might look like you are just driving through farms, but buried in there, there's Ancient Lakes!) There is a port-o-potty at the trail head on the west side. Trail head: is well marked, we hiked in about 2 miles and got to the lakes and the rolling grass area where you can set up tent where ever. There are some man made fire rings scattered through out the area. Hiking: After we picked a spot and set up camp, we hiked a loop around the lakes. We started towards the waterfall. It was a scramble up the side of the waterfall, like a class 4 rock scramble lol. Loose rocks, loose footing. From there, we went pass that waterfall and onto the backside where the east parking lot is. Which there's another waterfall there, and there's also camp spots there too. We looped around, it wasn't too hard. We estimated this part of the hike to be around 6 miles round trip back to our tents. Lots of people camping, we counted about 50 tents, then you estimate about 2/per tent, so like 100 people were out here! But you still are able to find solitude. We came across 3 snakes, an owl, and a marmot. Easy trek, not very hilly at all. Good for first time backpackers. The area can be explored in a day. I found this site useful: https://www.theoutbound.com/washington/backpacking/ancient-lakes-day-hike-or-backpack

This is my favorite lake but I went down and I saw a lot of garbage and one looks like somebody was…read moreliving there and somebody's writing graffiti on the trees then you go all the way down and the smell is so bad that you have to turn around I have pictures for you I just don't know how to get them to you but other than that we need to clean this up I mean their beer cans in the lake and people come all the time it should be a little cleaner but the good news is that I love your new boat ramp

Small town perk - PNW renowned fishing! Easy access - in…read moretown, open sunrise to sunset everyday. Seasonally stocked with jumbo triploids. Here's the catch - BAITLESS & BARBLESS :( Rules in place to give the fish a chance and for the avid fisherman the triumph of snagging that 25"+ trout. *Do not make like the poachers - 2 is the limit and the officials are always scoping in the bushes waiting fishing for violators...