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.

* 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!

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park is a MUST see when traveling back to western WA. I'm still…read moreperplexed at how naturally beautiful the state of WA is, it's truly unreal how this park and Wenatchee can be 1-2 hours from the other. Our goal is visit as many national parks as we can, in an effort to acknowledge and honor the gift of nature.

This is a fantastic park. We went for a quick morning walk. It was more than we expected. Beautiful…read moreviews of the river and short but lovely trails through the woods. My bird app identified about a dozen bird species within a minute. A very special place.

Lots of activities Frisbee course water boarding. Kayaking, sunbathing, beside river nature walk,…read morepicnicking, swimming, rope swing (to be used at own risk and responsibly.). Connected with an under freeway bridge greenway walk to another park where you can take your dog besides having access to other side of lakes and nature trail.

Next-door to the Rotary Park is this lovely, smaller park with a great place it for the kids as…read morewell as some tennis courts. The park is tucked back in the neighborhood and has a lovely, small parking lot with room for a dozen or so cars. The play structure has a number of different sections that range from advanced, down to good for smaller kids. There's a very nice covered structure and some large trees with benches and picnic tables below them paid on a hot day, it was not hard to find shade. This was the perfect complement to the adjoining park which has a large bike track. It was great for the kids to be able to burn off some energy riding their bikes and then cut through some trees and immediately be in an area where they could run around and climb. If you live in Ellensburg, this is a perfect spot to go run the kids at, and if you live in one of the towns surrounding Ellensburg, it's a perfect place to travel to to let the kids do something different!

Such a great place to bring your family for a day of fun!! There is a swimming area, a boat dock to…read morelaunch your boat, a fishing dock, and a large park with a playground, frisbee golf course and lots of picnic areas!

This is a big lovely park on the side of I-90 in Moses Lake…read more There are mostly pros, especially in the size (it's huge!) and the variety of things to do here. Even on abuts weekend with a wedding taking place in part of the park, it doesn't feel crowded. There are gazebos galore, 3 buildings with facilities, grills, a playground, a dock, a basketball court, a swimming area and tiny beach, and a disc golf course. You can reach it by the bike path or car. Cons: the freeway is loud in the park proper if you're seeking a quiet place, but I wouldn't call it too obnoxious. I haven't been on a weekday, but on a mid-Sunday in summer, be prepared to pack out your garbage because all cans will be full (and I didn't see places for recycling). If you're an avid disc golfer like S., the course might be a disappointment, say a 2-3 star. There are only nine holes, all par three, and if you are here during a normal summer afternoon, most holes will be obstructed by other park-goers, as it's all incorporated right into the park. But it's a good place to practice, and if you arrive early, especially on weekdays, you can get in a full round. For me, it's great for a summer in-town getaway.

Well the snow on the featured photo is pretty misleading, it was about 85 degrees when we were…read morethere in late April lol. But really, a cool park! Long walking trail right on the water with little areas to go down and access the water here and there. A definite must stop if you are visiting Wenatchee.

Hey Southern California Edison! How many parks in Southern California do you maintain?…read more The Chelan PUD has built 15 parks covering 700 acres around the Chelan County Waterways. The parks were developed under recreation plans required by the federal government as part of the PUD's licenses to operate the Rocky Reach, Rock Island, and Lake Chelan hydro projects. Walla Walla Point Park is one of the parks that the Chelan PUD built and maintains. I visited the park at the end of December 2022. There wasn't much to see in the park as everything was covered by about a foot of snow. There are supposed to be 4 softball/soccer fields here when it isn't covered in snow. There are supposed to be tennis and volleyball courts and a lot of green grass. The trail around the park along the river was nice. The trails were all paved. The snow was removed from the trail by the PUD. If you walk far enough, you can get to the Lindston Barn. The parking lot to the park was also cleared of snow. They have a electric car charging station that was free of charge to the public. It is a nice park whether it is summer or winter. The answer to the question above? ZERO! Come visit this park and see what hydro power can do for you.

We had a really fun day at Soap Lake, thanks to the great sunshine and perfect temperature. It was…read morealso not crowded at all, but it was a random Wednesday afternoon visit. The park offers amenities: public restrooms in a building and some port-o-potties; outdoor shower to remove the grime (that gets in EVERY crack); covered picnic tables. It also has some grassy areas for recreation and a playground for the kids. Plus, there's a touch of culture, with what professes to be the first human figure sundial. The sand is rocky in and out of the water, and the water is shallow, good for keeping it fails warm and for wading quite a ways out. It was nice to slather ourselves in the clay and let it bake in before rinsing it off. But be warned, the sulfur in the water and clay will keep you and anything you wear smelling even after a thorough washing. So I wouldn't plan a nice evening out after ;-) We look forward to going back for more fun this summer, after we check out some other local beaches.

Soap Lake has 2 public parks on the lake, this one is on the East shore on Highway 17 between…read moreSmokiam Campground and B&B Restaurant. There is a bath house, Beach Access, Picnic Tables and a huge Bronze & Basalt Sundial. It's a great place to stop and play or even plaster yourself in the healing mud from the lake. Swimming is easy as you float easier because of all the minerals in the water. We made a specific trip here during our vacation. Daughter and her kids played in the healing waters while wife read a book in the shade and I took the nap I really needed. Unfortunately, I took too long of a nap and missed laying in the water :( I guess I'll have to go back next year. This is the 3rd time we've come here and it is always worth a repeat visit when you are in the area.

heading down to the coast for a night of racing and come upon this ridiculous thing in the middle…read moreof the desert. don't get me wrong, I've bridged up here a lot but this span is in its own league entirely... besides being a half-mile long ramp across the river it's got twisty turns on the other end feeding in or leading out or just driving past on Rte 26 heading to Tacoma and by the time I realize how cool it is there's no place to pull over and have a look until next time (getting turned around counts as next time) and realizing there's way too many spots to get a better look at the bridge and sometimes it takes two or several passes which is kind of a good problem to have... totally digging the man-gates on the richland side; the stunted brush and broken terrain brings odd notions about what went on here before the fences got staked... enjoy :-)

Holy smokes, what a great view! But holy smokes, the wind nearly blew me off the bridge!…read more The Vantage Bridge is the second one at this location, which carries Interstate 90 over the Columbia River and joins Vantage with George (and who was clever to name their town George in the state of Washington?). This section of the river is the Wanapum Lake that is formed by the Wanapum Dam that you can't see from the bridge but it's there. This type of bridge is a "through arch bridge" and it has a total length of 2504 feet. It was dedicated in 1962 and is in great condition considering it is 60 years old. There is a "scenic view" spot on the east bank where you can get a great view of the bridge. It was so windy up there that I could barely stand! [Review 17107 overall - 95 in Washington - 623 of 2022.]