Accessible Trails in Kittitas County

Presently there is only one documented ADA trail in Kittitas County - Gold Creek Pond. The rest of the easy to moderate trails shown here MAY be doable for some outdoor scooter users, disabled bikers, or slow walkers.

Gold Creek Pond Picnic Area

Directions:

Gold Creek Pond is located near the crest of the North Cascade Mountains, just north of Interstate 90 and east of Snoqualmie Pass.

From Seattle, drive 51 mi E on I-90 to Snoqualmie Pass. Take the Hyak exit #54 off I-90. Go north and immediately turn right on Forest Service Road #4832, which parallels the north side of the freeway. Drive 1.5 miles, turn left on Gold Creek road #142. The road is not well marked so don't drive past it. Turn left in 0.75 mile into the Gold Creek Pond parking lot.

GPS - 47° 23' 47.9'' N, 121° 22' 45.52'' W

Features:

The 1-mile, paved trail loops around Gold Creek pond offering beautiful views of the large pond, prominent peaks and the Gold Creek Valley.

This is an outstanding trail and should not be missed by any wheeler searching for a forested, alpine experience. It is a great picnic area, but since it sits 2 miles off the road, many travelers overlook this gem.

Starting counter-clockwise at the trailhead, the 4'-wide, flat trail snakes through a forested meadow chock full of wildflowers and flowering shrubs. The rock formations around Gold Creek Pond resulted from thousands of years of glacial and volcanic action in the Snoqualmie Pass area. Large glaciers once filled the valley, descending almost to sea level along the Snoqualmie River valley. These ancient glaciers ground steep rock slopes into dust particles, which caught in crevices, mixed with lichens, seeds and other wind-blown material and formed soil, which eventually supported the plant communities that exist here now.

The trail goes over Gold Creek on a wooden bridge and changes to boardwalk over a wetland area for a short distance.

The interpretive trail offers exceptional opportunities for wildlife viewing (especially in the evenings). Look for waterfowl, ospreys, geese, great blue heron, songbirds, bull trout, kokanee, and beaver.

Benches are intermittently spaced along the trail offering places to rest and enjoy the scenery.

Partial views of the pond give you a peek preview of the views just ahead.

The pond was formed by the removal of gravel during the construction of Interstate 90. The 15-acre spring-fed pond has a man-made channel that flows into Gold Creek.

The trail enters a large picnic area on the south side of the lake, near the end of the loop (or beginning, which ever direction you prefer to take). Picnic tables are scattered thoughout the area, some in trees, some in the open meadow. A paved path leads across the open meadow to an accessible picnic table and barbeque.

Here, looking across the pond into Gold Creek valley, you get views of Huckleberry and Chickamin Peaks at the head of the valley, Kendall Peak to the west and Rampart Ridge to the east. The mountains and the upper Gold Creek valley within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area are often reflected in the pond, providing great photo opportunities. Take the trail in autumn to add color to the majestic view.

Other Info:

Accessible restrooms, partially accessible picnic tables. No accessible fishing. No bikes or horses. See the USFS Website.

Fiorito Ponds (WDFW)

Directions:

On I-90, take exit 109 from Ellensburg. Go south for 1 mi on Canyon Rd. Go east on Tjossem Rd for 1.65 miles, driving over SR-82. Go south for 1.2 mi on County Rd 6. Access to Fiorito Ponds is on the right (signed). GPS - 46°56'38.54"N, 120°30'19.82"W

Features:

This is NOT an accessible trail. (There is no trail going around the lake.) However, it is included here because the Washington State Accessible Outdoor Recreation Guide icon erroneously reports the lake as having an accessible trail. There are only two short paved paths about 50 feet long along the bank from which to fish and dry camp.

Other Info:

Larger vault toilets are located near the paved sections. This is a rustic, well-stocked fishing lake with bank fishing for rainbow and brown trout. Some big brown trout can be found in these lakes, and the best time to catch them is in the fall; you can also entice these big browns in the early mornings and late evenings. The game department has also stocked Fiorito with the Brute stock rainbows averaging 6-10 pounds. There are also bass in these two lakes, especially the south lake. The trout tend to average about 11-15 inches. There is a natural bank boat launch, which is not accessible. Gas motors are prohibited.

Iron Horse Trail - East (John Wayne Pioneer Trail)

Directions:

There are numerous points along the trail that serve as official trailheads. Starting at the pass:

Hyak Trailhead - From I-90 take exit 54 (Hyak). Go south and turn left onto the access road on the south side of the freeway. Go 0.125 mile and turn right on the first road, Forest Service Road 22191. Take an immediate right up the hill on an access road signed to the Hyak Trailhead. This is a very nice trailhead with fully accessible parking, restrooms, and showers.

Easton Trailhead - From I-90 take exit 71, turn south to stop sign, cross Railroad Street and then the railroad tracks, turn left just past the fire hall. Drive 1.4 mile to the trailhead parking area on the right. [Easton Map] GPS - 47°14'9.36"N, 121°10'27.56"W. The Easton trailhead has 2 vault toilets, 5 picnic tables, water, a loading ramp and a 21-vehicle parking lot.

Lake Easton State Park Trailhead - From I-90 take exit #70, and follow signs to the park. The signs to the picnic area and Iron Horse trailhead are easy to follow. There is a gravel parking area with short hill up to trail. (Restrooms are in the picnic area further east.) The path around the gate is inaccessible, but if you get off your scooter and fold the tiller and seat, you can go through the middle. (Reported Sept 2008)

West Nelson Siding - From I-90 take exit 78 (Golf Course Road) and go south 200 yards.

South Cle Elum Trailhead - From I-90 take exit 84 and go west into Cle Elum. Turn south on Reed Street, marked with a sign to South Cle Elum. Go south across the Yakima River, and Reed Street becomes East Fourth Street. Turn right on Madison and in two blocks left onto West 6th Street. Turn right onto Milwaukee Avenue, and the trailhead is on your left at West 7th Street. [Map] GPS - 47°11'2.57"N, 120°57'14.22"W.

Thorp Trailhead - Leave I-90 at exit #101, turn north on Thorp Hwy, 1/2 mile turn left on Thorp Depot Road and 1/4 mile to parking area. [Thorpe map 1]

SR 97 - SR 97 crosses the trail about 3 miles west of Ellensburg.

Ellensburg - From I-90 take exit 106 and go north. Turn right on Cascade Way and follow it as it makes a right turn, but remains Cascade Way. Follow Cascade Way into town and turn left on North Water Street, which crosses the grade in about 0.25 mile.

Kittitas - From I-90 take exit 115 (Kittitas) and go north. The road crosses the trail.

Boylston Tunnel - From I-90 take exit 115 (Kittitas) and go north. Go east on the Kittitas Highway to Mundy Road. Turn south over I-90 and take the first right just after you pass under the railroad trestle and follow it up to the tunnel.

Overview:

The section from Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg is a gentle downhill grade (2% max) that follows the old Milwaukee Road rail bed and includes a number of tunnels. The trail is gravel and the far eastern portions have some original ballast, which is extremely rough and rocky for mountain bikes and not suitable for mobility devices. The trail is constantly upgraded providing more users an opportunity to see a variety of country. Note that Central Washington is generally warmer than Western Washington and this is the section you will start noticing temperature increases in mile by mile. Be careful.

This trail is certainly not ADA accessible, but it has a gentle grade and SOME users with outdoor mobility scooters or all-terrain wheelchairs or bicyclists with wide tires can handle sections of the trail. The bouncing and vibration off the larger gravel jolt the body so you should be able to handle that. No-flat tires on your mobility device are highly recommended as well as hiking with an abled-bodied companion.

There are a number of options here such as negotiating a short up and back stretch of the trail or having someone drop you off at one trailhead and picking you up at the end or at intersecting roads. Remember to respect your limitations, such as how far you can go on a fully charged battery.

Iron Horse Trail - Hyak to Crystal Springs

Features:

The section between designated trailheads at Hyak and Easton is 18 miles and wheelers with battery-operated mobility devices will not be able to do an out-and-back trip (36 miles). Your options are to do a shorter round-trip section starting at either the Hyak or Easton end or plan a drop off and pick up at either end. If you want to do a shorter route, Hyak to Crystal Springs is about 8 miles. There is no longer a trailhead at Crystal Springs, but you can arrange a pick up where the Stampede Pass Road crosses the trail. Keep in mind that this section of the trail has a 2% grade from Hyak down to Easton and your batteries will drain faster heading back to Hyak. [Map]

This is a popular section of the trail and you will definitely see other hikers and bikers on it.

At the Hyak trailhead the trail starts at the large parking lot heading south. It soon splits away from the trail leading to Snoqualmie Tunnel and heads east toward Keechelus Lake.

From here the trail follows the south shore of Keechelus Lake with vegetation opening up periodically to great views across the lake.

At Cold Creek there is another large clearing showing some of the logged stumps characteristic of the west end of Keechelus Lake.

For wheelers, the section from Hyak to Cold Creek at Keechelus Lake makes for a nice, short, 4.2-mile round trip.

See Cold Creek on the map.

Cold Creek is one of four campgrounds along the trail, each with three to four campsites, one picnic table and a vault toilet. (The trail down to the camping spots is not accessible.)

For wheelers who want to continue east a bit further, the trail follows the lake to an area prone to avalanches where two snow sheds were removed - watch for falling rocks and a rougher trail through here. There are nice views of the lake at this spot. From there the trail heads away from the lake down to Crystal Springs (Stampede Pass Road) just east of Keechelus Lake.

Note: The remainder of the Hyak to Easton section is covered below starting from Easton as most wheelers will do this section in two trips, starting from Hyak on one trip and Easton on another trip.

Iron Horse Trail - Easton to Crystal Springs

The trail from Easton to Crystal Springs (Stampede Pass Road) is 8 miles, which makes for a long 16 mile round trip for wheelers. A shorter trip is to turn around at Cabin Creek bridge. This shorter section provides the best scenery and you won't miss much, except for a short tunnel.

When heading toward Crystal Springs, you can either start at the official Easton trailhead or the trailhead at Lake Easton State Park.

The downside to starting at the Easton trailhead is that you must double back 1.4 mile to Easton on the gravel road you just took to the trailhead. This road/trail is rough and provides no scenic opportunities.

From the backside of Easton the trail goes past a diversion dam that pulls water from Lake Easton for irrigation use downstream. There is a very short tunnel and a canal on the outskirts of Easton.

About 2.5 miles down the trail, just after crossing the first trail bridge, is the intersection with the trail that comes from Lake Easton State Park.

The alternative trailhead is at Lake Easton State Park. Not only is this shorter for wheelers, but it avoids the 1.4 miles of rough road at the beginning of the Easton trailhead. Prior to parking at the trailhead you can stop at the Lake Easton State Park picnic area and use the restrooms. There is designated parking in front of the restroom with one handicap stall with grab bars. It really is a pretty picnic area and you might have lunch there before or after your hike. The parking area is gravel with a short hill up to a paved road that is fenced and locked. There is room in the center to get a scooter through (minus the rider) by moving the tiller and seats down.

The area around the fence is very tight and it is questionable whether a wheelchair user could get through. (Remember, the John Wayne trail is NOT wheelchair accessible.) An adventurous wheeler in an all-terrain wheelchair MIGHT find a way around, but it would be easier to contact park staff and get them to unlock the gate.

The trail goes along the north edge of the lake. You can see the Lake Easton Bridge on the Iron Horse trail clear across the lake.

The trail enters a packed dirt and pine needle trail through forest on State Park land west of the lake and eventually merges with the Iron Horse trail just west of the Lake Easton Bridge.

The bridge crosses over the Yakima river and the BNSF Railway Stampede Pass line, which is an active railroad corridor.

Even though you are headed west, go over to the bridge and check out the view. Then head west on the trail.

The trail goes by a cliff with a great downriver view. This is a great spot to rest and enjoy the view both coming and going.

The trail eventually passes through a narrow cut with rocky bluffs on either side. The trail can be rough here and subject to rock slides.

Watch out for falling rock and loose rocks on the trail.

At the end of the cut there is another bridge crossing the Yakima River. BPA high-voltage transmission lines are nearby and you can hear the electricity as you wheel through the cut.

There is a picnic table here where you can stop and rest.

The trail continues until it intersects with Cabin Creek road and you follow the road a short distance passing over the Cabin Creek bridge. West of the bridge the trail has a gate across it.

As with most gates, there is a small path around the gate. As of September 2008 this was too rough for wheelers to safely negotiate so this is a turn-around point.

Bicyclists and abled bodied hikers of course can go around it and continue west passing through a tunnel high above Lake Easton. Tunnel # 49 is just long enough that a headlight is desirable so that you can see the roadbed through the west end of it.

Iron Horse Trail South Cle Elum to Easton

This section is 11.4 miles and most wheelers will not have battery power do the entire section round trip, so you have an option of a shorter out and back trip from either end or have someone drop you off at one end and meet you at the other end.

The trail goes mostly through alternating forest and pastures. Compared to sections further west, there are no spectacular views here, but it is pleasant with some nice river views. You'll notice the forest is drier and has more pines. Several trestles go over the Yakima River. The Easton Tunnel # 48 is short enough that a headlight isn’t required.

From the Easton trailhead, the trail parallels both I-90 and the active Stampede Pass rail line. The highway is usually out of sight, but you can hear the traffic occasionally. For wheelers, try a short, 5 mile out-and-back trek from Easton to Nelson Siding.

A quieter option is to start at the South Cle Elum trailhead and head west toward Easton. Wheelers can do a shorter out and back section from the trailhead to the Tillman Creek Bridge.

This route is quite nice, especially early morning when it is cooler and you are apt to spot wildlife.

This short section passes wild flowers, shrubs filled with berries, marshes with deciduous trees that provide good bird habitat.

There are marshes and river views along the trail to keep it interesting.

An especially scenic spot is looking south from the trestle over the Yakima River and again at the small bridge going over Tillman Creek.

Iron Horse Trail - South Cle Elum to Thorp

From the developed South Cle Elum trailhead, the trail parallels I-90 and then goes under it heading away from the freeway noise into picturesque Little Yakima Canyon leading to Thorp.

This is one of the most scenic and isolated legs of the trail. It winds along the Yakima River through pine forests and several short tunnels, including the longer 320-foot Thorp Tunnel, to an arid corridor of open country lined by basalt columns and outcroppings.

Take a flashlight for the longest of 4 tunnels near Thorp because it's very dark in the middle.

About five miles from the trailhead at Thorp, between Tunnels 46 and 47, the trail skirts the boundary of an abandoned homestead.

Read Karen Syke's excellent Seattle PI article about this section.

Many feel that the section of river that flows through the Yakima Canyon is the best trout fishing in the state. Access for bank and wading able-bodied anglers is good. Across the river the active rail line continues to follow along.

The trail comes out of the canyon and passes near Thorp. The distance from South Cle Elum to Thorp is 18.6 miles.

Unfortunately, there is no short trip into the main part of the canyon so wheelers must have enough battery power and have someone drop you off at one trailhead and pick you up at the other end.

Iron Horse Trail - Thorp to Ellensburg

From Thorp, the trail again crosses the Yakima River and the active rail line, and then makes an elevated crossing of SR 10. To access the trail here, go east a short distance and take a shortcut road to SR 97, where the trail crosses at grade. The distance from Thorp to Ellensburg is 6.8 miles.

The trail is blocked in Ellensburg by the Central Washington State Campus and long distance users have to detour around at this point. (A side note here to compare two Washington cities and their approach to trails: Vancouver has used its trail systems as a magnet, a source of community pride and activities, and has won national awards for their forward thinking. Ellensburg on the other hand was reportably opposed to the trail running through its community -- and this is a college town? -- go figure!)

Iron Horse Trail - Ellensburg to Kittatas

From Ellensburg the trail (rough rock) climbs to the Boylston Tunnel, passing by farms and eventually the small town of Kittitas. In Kittitas, there is a park south of the trail where it crosses the main street through town.

Not suitable for wheelers.

Iron Horse Trail - Kittitas to Boylston Tunnel

From Kittitas, the trail (rough rock) goes from the rangelands around Ellensburg into the isolated, rocky and sage-covered scrublands of a military test area. There are no facilities along this arid and isolated section, including no access to water.

This section is rougher and not suitable for wheelers although avid mountain bikers take it. The sandy tread has not been upgraded to trail standard, and at present, is most appropriate for able-bodied walkers and horse riders.

For those able to take it, the trail climbs to the Boylston Tunnel. It is especially beautiful in spring with lots of wildflowers and this section is a year-round a home to abundant wildlife: coyotes, mule deer, pheasants, quails, and owls. (The military can close this part of the trail for exercises.)

Beyond the Boylston tunnel, the trail begins a long, slow descent down to a high bridge spanning the Columbia River at Vantage.

Other Info:

The Iron Horse State Park Trail follows the Interstate-90 corridor known as the Mountains to Sound Greenway. Over 1.2 million people per year visit the Iron Horse State Park Trail. Remnants of the old railroad are still present: trestles, tunnels, bridges, signal foundations, ties, spikes, etc. In June 1998, I-90 became the only interstate highway in the U.S. to be designated a National Scenic Byway known as the Mountains to Sound Greenway.

The Iron Horse Bed and Breakfast is located near the South Cle Elum trailhead. Take a Wagon Train Adventure riding in old-fashioned horsedrawn wagons along a section of the Iron Horse trail.

For long distance hikers/bikers there are four campgrounds along the trail, each with three to four campsites, one picnic table and a vault toilet. They are located at milepost 2109.5 at Roaring Creek (the camp is located about ¼ mile east of Roaring Creek), milepost 2113.2 at Coal Creek, milepost 2123.2 at Carter Creek and milepost 2127.1 at Alice Creek.

Nearby Camping is also available near the trail at U.S. Forest Service campgrounds at Tinkham, Denny Creek, Lake Kachess and Crystal Springs. There is state park camping at Lake Easton and Wanapum.

Lake Easton State Park. Located one mile west of Easton, off Interstate 90 exit #70, 15 miles west of Cle Elum, and 15 miles east of Snoqualmie Pass . It has 145 campsites (reservations required) with accessible utility sites available. It also has a boat launch on Lake Easton (not a good fishing lake), picnic tables and hot showers (all non-ADA).

Lake Kachess. Nestled in the forest, this crystal-clear lake serves as a reservoir for the Kittitas Valley. It provides a boat launch, as well as good areas for camping and hiking. Take Interstate 90 going west to the exit after Easton and follow the signs. Kachess Lake campground has accessible restrooms and partially accessible tenting and picnic area. From Snoqualmie Pass, drive E on I-90 for 13 mi to Kachess Lake Rd exit. Turn left onto Kachess Lake Rd. Follow about 6 mi to site on FS 4900.

Further away camping includes:

Lion Rock. A rustic campground with a spectacular scenic viewpoint of the Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams and the Stuart Range. It's great for picnicking, hiking (not accessible) and photography. From the northwest side of town, follow Reecer Creek Road and watch for signs along the way. Eventually this road will also lead to Liberty.

Wishpoosh & Salmon La Sac. Huge rock formations and forested areas along the Cle Elum River, west of Ellensburg, provide fantastic locations for hiking and picnicking or just sitting and taking in the wonder of it all. Official camping and picnic grounds are also located along Lake Cle Elum and the Cle Eum River.

Indian Camp (DNR). Start at Interstate 90 exit 85 (Cle Elum). Go E on State Route 970 for 6.9 mi. Turn left on Teanaway Rd. Go 7.3 mi. Turn left on West Fork Teanaway Rd. for 0.6 mi. Turn right on Middle Fork Teanaway Rd.(paved, two lane/gravel, one lane.) Go 3.9 mi site on left. Open forest stream side setting. Primitive campsites. Hitching rails available. Access to many miles of horse, hiker, mountain bike trails on Wenatchee National Forest. Accessible restrooms and camping.

Beverly Campground. From Cle Elum, drive E on SR 970 for 6.9 mi. Turn left onto Teanaway Rd (FS 9737) for 16 mi to site. Campsites are open and level - accessible restrooms, partially accessible picnic tables and camping.

Taneum Campground. From Cle Elum, drive E on I-90. Take Elk Heights Rd, exit 93. Turn left over hwy and then turn right onto Thorp Prairie Rd. Follow for about 3.5 mi. Turn right onto Taneum Rd. Follow for about 6.5 mi to site on FS 3300. Wooded area with level sites, accessible restrooms partially accessible picnic tables, camping, and water.

The Mountains to Sound Greenway March is an annual summer event that incorporates about 70 miles of the Iron Horse State Park Trail. Wagon riders leave from Thorp and travel 130 miles west to Seattle.

Also see the North Puget Sound, I-90 Corridor section. The Iron Horse - West trail continues from Snoqualmie Pass down to North Bend.

See the Seattle PI article on the Iron Horse Trail for some interesting history.

For a free brochure on the Iron Horse State Park Trail, or updates on trail conditions, call State Parks' toll-free information line, 800-233-0321.

The Coal Mines Trail

Directions:

Cle Elum trailhead is located off I-90 exit on Rossetii Way. Head east on Interstate 90 and get off at the Cle Elum exit, pass a Safeway (right) and at the bottom of the hill on the main drag into Cle Elum, turn left on Stafford Street and park on the right-hand side. Kitty-corner from the parking area is a portable toilet and the beginning of the trail at the intersection of Second Street West and Stafford Street, one block from the main drag, elevation 1,905 feet. [Cle Elum Map]

GPS - 47°11'50.79"N, 120°56'38.87"W.

Roslyn trailhead is located approximately 30-40 minutes west of Ellensburg off Interstate 90 on SR 903. If you start here, park your car at the east end of Pennsylvanian Avenue behind the Old City Hall [Roslyn Map]

GPS - 47°13'25.81"N, 120°59'29.47"W.

Features:

This 6-mile round-trip trail follows the old railroad grade between Cle Elum, Roslyn and Ronald. The trail is relatively flat, but not wheelchair accessible due to gravel. Power scooters and wheelchairs with larger tires should be fine.

Start from the trailhead in Cle Elum where you can pick up a copy of the "Tour Guide, Coal Mines Trail" at the Cle Elum Chamber of Commerce. Besides historical information the brochure includes a trail map.

Benches and Interpretive signs about the mining history are scattered along the wide graveled trail. At Roslyn's Pioneer park find water, picnic tables and benches.

The trail offers a mix of deciduous trees, tall grasses, reeds, evergreens and wild rose bushes - a magnificent colorful display to view in the autumn (mid-October). The vegetation changes as you near Roslyn as deciduous trees give way to evergreens and glimpses of farm land.

The centerpiece of the trail is the quaint town of Roslyn, which was the site for filming the old "Northern Exposure." Unlike many places in America, Roslyn's history and heritage remain obvious after more than one hundred years. Along the trail you can see remains of Roslyn's mines, at the railroad depot site and barn, and at Powder House Road where dynamite was stored.

Another facinating fact - apparently Roslyn was a hard-drinking town: "at one point there were 26 saloons and a barn was situated near the railroad for mules and horses. The mules worked inside the mines, but horses had the equally important work of hauling beer to the saloons".

Future trailhead improvements are planned in each of the communities and a connection to the Iron Horse State Park is also envisioned.

Other Info:

Have breakfast in Roslyn while your in the Cle Elum area. This historic coal-mining town boasts of a log cabin built in the 1880's (2nd and Utah Streets), 25 old ethnic cemeteries, and the quaint Roslyn Museum (on Pennsylvania Avenue). This was the main filming location for the TV series, Northern Exposure.

Destination Kittitas is good Website for photos and information about the trail.

See a description of this hike in a Seattle PI article. If you want to learn more about visiting Roslyn see this Seattle Times article.

For the free trail guide and map, contact the Cle Elum Chamber of Commerce at 509-674-5958. The office is at 401 W. First St. and is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Paul Rogers Wildlife Refuge Park - Ellensburg

Directions:

Located on Judge Ronald Road approximately one mile from Ellensburg.

Features:

This 19.8-acre park provides a natural setting for local wildlife and features a number of groomed trails and paths. Accessibility not confirmed at this time. The refuge consists of open fields, wetlands, and woods that provide temporary and permanent habitats for a variety of flora and fauna in the area. The variety of vegetation provides food for birds such as chickadees, finches, pheasants, California quail, hawks, mallards, coyotes and cottontail rabbits.

Sagebrush Trail Park - Ellensburg

Directions:

The park is located from 4th Ave. to Poplar St. in Ellensburg.

Features:

A developed walkway, Accessibility not confirmed at this time.

Wildlife Access Area - Washington Department of Wildlife

Directions:

The park is located 3 miles south of Ellensburg. Follow Canyon Road to Ringer Loop Road and turn right. Follow the road until you see the public fishing sign.

Features:

A park along the Yakima River, providing public fishing and scenic nature trails that follow the river. Accessibility not confirmed at this time.

Other Info:

A parking permit is required and can be obtained from any store location that sells hunting and fishing licenses.

Irene Rinehart Riverfront

Directions:

Located along the Yakima River west of Ellensburg. Follow Main Street south to McDonalds and turn right on Damman Road, turn right again into the parking lot just past the Carey Lake Golf Course and before coming to the Yakima River.

Features:

This park contains two lakes--one for swimming and non-motorized water sports; expanses of grass; trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding; as well as picnic and restroom facilities.

Other Info:

Dogs are allowed at the upper lake and must be on a leash. Accessibility not evaluated at this time.

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park

Directions:

Located appoximately 30 miles east of Ellensburg, Wash., on the Columbia River. From east or west on I-90: Take exit #136. Follow signs south on Huntzinger Rd. three miles to Wanapum or north through Vantage one mile to Ginkgo.

Features:

Located just before you reach Vantage (traveling east on the Old Vantage Highway) this beautiful state park includes a museum with excellent displays including petrified wood and petroglyphs. A viewpoint and picnic area are nearby. The petrified forest above the museum makes an interesting walking tour. The museum has been modified to accommodate wheelchair users, but the Ginkgo trail is too steep and not wheelchair accessible.

A wide variety of wildlife exists in the park. Deer, elk, and coyote are some of the more common mammals found here. From spring to fall many types of reptiles can be seen. During the cooler hours of the day, lizards and snakes, like the side blotched lizard, the gopher snake and of course, the poisonous Northern Pacific rattlesnake, are found foraging through the sagebrush. Birds also live here, like the finch, the raven, the hawk and the great bald eagle.

At the Natural Area, a trail system follows an exposure of a prehistoric lake bed where wood deposits occur. In addition to the 1.2 kilometer (3/4-mile) interpretive trail, a four kilometer (2.5 mile) hiking trail gives access to the central Washington sagebrush environment. Pets must be on a leash.

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park has 10 picnic sites, restrooms and parking for 80 cars. There are 42.5 miles of hiking trails and 2.5 miles of interpretive trails in the park (none of which are designated as ADA accessible).

Other Info:

Camping at Wanapum State Park & Columbia River. Two miles south of Vantage, the park's grassy, tree-filled area features picnicking, swimming, a boat ramp, a trailer park and camping.

This is a popular area for water skiing and soaking in the sun. There are 50 campsites with trailer hookups and a day use area with beach access located near the campground proving easy access to the Columbia River.

Wanapum Dam & Visitor Center has artifacts, photos and art providing an interesting and educational insight into the lives of Indians, fur traders, soldiers, miners and ranchers. Public viewing of the dam's powerhouse, generator gallery and fish-viewing room is available. Take Interstate 90 east to Vantage, cross the Columbia River and turn south onto Highway 243--watch for signs.