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Sacagawea Heritage Trail - Tri-Cities
Directions:
The easiest access point is from Columbia Park in Kennewick. Take
State Route 240 to Edison Street and follow signs to the park.
 Features:
The wheelchair accessible 22-mile Sacagawea Heritage Trail circles
the river and extends through Pasco, Richland and Kennewick. A
longer 23-mile route continues west on Columbia Drive across the
Yakima River and back to the smaller loop trail connecting at
Marina Park.
This trail is being upgraded and extended for the Lewis and Clark
bicentenial celebrations. The trail along the Columbia River weaves
between sections of riparian habitat that provide an opportunity
to get up-close to nature from an easily accessible paved trail
system. View songbirds, migrating waterfowl, American White Pelican,
Osprey, blue heron, duck and pheasant. And occasionally even skunk,
deer, beaver, river otter, snakes and other local wildlife.
Other Info:
Visitors won't want to miss a stop at the Moore Mansion along
the trail, located at 200 Road 34 in Pasco. From the middle of
the six-mile Columbia Park in Kennewick, the mansion, built in
1905 is about four miles east along the trail.
Sacajawea State Park
Directions:
Located five miles southeast of Pasco, Wash., at the confluence
of the Snake and Columbia rivers. From Pasco drive east on Hwy.
12 toward Walla Walla. Take a right on Tank Farm Rd. Continue
across railroad tracks. The park is at the end of the road.
Features:
Sacajawea
State Park is located at the confluence of the Columbia and
Snake Rivers, a wetlands delta with protected riparian habitat.
The park is named for Sacajawea, a Shoshone Indian guide and interpreter
for the Lewis and Clark party. In preparation for the Lewis and
Clark Bicentennial 2004-2006 a paved, 12-foot wide, ADA accessible
path is the final link of the regional Sacagawea Heritage Trail
along the Columbia River.
Audubon Nature Trail in Columbia Park
Directions:
Located off Hwy 240 in Kennewick. Take State Route 240 to Edison
Street and follow signs to the park.
Features:
 Birding enthusiasts will enjoy the pungent aroma of big sagebrush
as they traverse the Audubon Nature Trail which runs along the
Columbia River in Columbia Park. This wonderful paved trail has
raised viewing platforms, nesting platforms, and interpretive
signage. Seasonal viewing includes quail and pheasant, chukar,
songbird, lesser and greater Canada geese, migrating waterfowl,
and nesting birds of the Columbia Basin. The paved trail includes a
nature pond for insect and fish viewing. This nature trail is
also a great way to view foliage and discover the seasonal changes
affecting riparian habitat.
Other:
This nature trail is a long-time project of the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society. See their Website for other birding and nature opportunities in the area.
Columbia Park Family Fishing Pond
Directions:
Located off Hwy 240 in Kennewick. Take State Route 240 to Edison
Street and follow signs to the park.
Features:
Maintained by the Washington State Department of Fish and
Wildlife and the Fishing Connection, this pond is a great place
to discover several species of warm-water fish-including channel
catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, walleye, crappie and other
anadramous species.
A walking trail loops around the pond, and
interpretive signage help identify the fish. A peninsula jutting
into the pond gives great access to view and fish, and provides
a handicapped accessible area. Migrating and nesting waterfowl
are found nearby and an occasional beaver will visit the pond
to the delight of those fishing. Juveniles (under 15 years old)
and holders of disability licenses only.
McNary National Wildlife Refuge
 Directions:
McNary NWR is in Burbank WA. From Pasco you must cross the Snake
river on US Highway 12 and go a quarter mile Turn left on Maple
Street. McNary NWR is 3 tenths of a mile on your left. From Walla
Walla turn right at Humorist Road stoplight, go one block and
turn left on Lake Road. The Education Center is about 3 tenths
of a mile on your left (before you cross the pond). Look closely,
as the center looks like an ordinary house from the road.
 Features:
Paved trail winds gently down to the photo blind, hidden by reeds
and rushes. There is a bench under the shade of trees along the
way. (There is also a chip path around the pond.)
The photo blind building has benches and ledges for viewers to
rest their notebooks on while documenting bird sitings. It serves
as a haven from chilly winter winds as well as providing invisibility.
 The
McNary Wildlife Refuge is located just southeast of Pasco, off
US Highway 395, just south of the Snake River, and provides an
excellent chance to view many species of animal, songbird, waterfowl,
and migratory birds including tundra swans, snow geese, green-winged
teals, Northern shoverlers, canvasbacks, redheads, ring-necked
ducks and lesser scaup. The refuge includes 15,000 acres of water
and marsh, croplands, grasslands, trees and shrubs, and is an
important resting and feeding area in the Pacific Fly-way for
up to 100,000 migrating waterfowl. The most favorable viewing
opportunities occur between October and December. Nesting activity
commences from March through Late July. More than 212 species
of bird are regularly sighted at the Refuge, including several
endangered species (Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle.) Phone (509)
943-OWL to hear about sightings of rare or unusual birds seen
recently.
Other Info:
Designated parking and a paved ramp brings visitors to the north
side of the building which allows entry to display rooms and a
viewing deck. See more
pictures of the refuge.
McNary Dam
Directions:
Access to the navigation locks in Washington via Interstate I-82.
East of I-82 at Hwy. 395 and Hwy 730. 25 miles south of Kennewick.
One mile east of Umatilla, Oregon, on Highway 730, and take the
McNary Dam Road.
Features:
McNary Dam is one of four dams on the Columbia River where the
river shapes the border between Washington and Oregon. A great
place to view migrating salmon and other fish. Take the nature
trail, see the boat locks or join a guided tour of the powerhouse
and fish ladder.
Other Info:
McNary Dam also features the Pacific Salmon Visitor Information
Center. The Pacific Salmon Visitor Information Center deals with
the issues of species management. Visitors will view Salmon runs,
use interactive computers to simulate Pacific Salmon runs and
make tough environmental decisions based on information provided.
The "pit tag" area showcases the juvenile fish bypass
system, where salmon are separated, sorted by size and species,
and prepared for barge transit. The Center also provides information
regarding fishing areas, species, and seasons.
On the Oregon side there is accessible fishing at McNary Channel
Ponds: Unimproved site. Gravel trail to 6 ponds just below McNary
Dam. Flat terrain, pleasant setting. Drive west beyond Fish Viewing
Window. Trout, largemouth bass, brown bullhead, catfish, and bluegill
present. Photos
of the dam.
Ice Harbor Lock & Dam and Visitor Center
Directions:
Located on Highway 12 just outside Pasco. From Burbank, travel
8 miles east on Washington Hwy. 124 to reach Ice Harbor Lock and
Dam.
Features:
Ice
Harbor Lock & Dam and Visitor Center is at the confluence
of the Snake River and Lake Sacajawea. Visitors can watch as boat
and barge traffic passes through the 2nd largest navigational
lock in the world! Watch the migrating fish from the viewing room,
or tour the powerhouse and learn more about the how electricity
is generated. American Indian Exhibits and artifacts on display,
and a petroglyph (native Indian rock carving) memorial overlooks
the dam. Dam open year round, Visitor Center, April-September.
Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Highway 12, Pasco (509) 547-7781
Other:
Lake Sacajawea offers water fun and relaxation. The landscape
is characteristic of wide-open vistas with few trees while the
climate is arid. Popular activities include boating, camping,
swimming, water skiing, hunting and fishing. Recreation facilities
range from full service campgrounds and picnic areas to undeveloped
remote beaches. The Tri-Cities is about 15 minutes to the west
on Highway 12.
ALE Reserve at Hanford
 Directions:
This area is best viewed as part of the Columbia River Journey's
jet boat tour of the Hanford Reach. 800.201.7202. This is not
a trail, but it is included for a possible attraction if you are
in the area.
Features:
The Arid Lands Field Institute offers field seminars to discover
the native plants and animals of the Columbia Basin. Discover
Chinook Salmon, Monarch Butterflies, Rocky Mountain Elk, and more!
One of the best places to discover these native species is on
the Arid Lands Ecology (ALE) Reserve at Hanford--the largest remaining
native shrub-steppe eco-system in the world! This area is also
home to the Hanford Reach-the last free-flowing stretch of the
Columbia River in the United States. The Reach retains many characteristics
of vegetation and wildlife lost elsewhere, including the last
significant fall chinook spawning habitat in the mainstream river.
Chamna Natural Preserve
/ Yakima River Delta / Tapteal Greenway
Directions:
In Richland WA.The Chamna Preserve is reached by driving over
I-182 on the Cullum Road overpass from Aaron Way and then turning
right at the T-intersection, following Lacey Street halfway part
way around the curve to the left, and veering right into the parking
spur. Aaron Way is best reached from SR-240 at the interchange
with the westernmost interchange with I-182, which is near the
I-182 Yakima River bridge.
Features:
This natural riparian habitat and greenway is crisscrossed with
trails and shoreline viewpoints that make for a perfect bird outing.
Watchable wildlife include many kinds of native birds and migrating
waterfowl. And occasionally even beaver, river otter, mule deer,
snakes and other riparian wildlife greet the quiet and patient
observer.
Coming in the Future: The Tapteal
Greenway is the 30-mile corridor along and including the Yakima
River extending from Kiona Bend at Benton City to the mouth of
the river at Bateman Island in Richland. This corridor includes
a complex mix of federal, state, county, municipal, and private
ownerships as well as a variety of habitats ranging from arid
shrub-steppe to lush emergent marshlands. The Yakima River and
watershed is recognized as one of the most diverse, scenic, and
biologically productive systems in the entire Pacific Northwest.
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