Outdoor Recreation and Nature Conservation in the Tri-Cities Washington Region
A family hiking up Badger Mountain
A directory of outdoor recreation and nature conservation resources in the Tri-Cities Washington region is provided that includes Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon (see coverage map).
The directory includes hiking, biking, rock climbing, hunting, fishing, skiing, camping,boating, kayaking, wildlife viewing, native plants, parks and recreation, bird watching, archery, gun clubs, shooting ranges, horse riding, trails, forest service, wildlife refuges, conservation organizations, and books.
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ADA Accessible Outdoor Guides
The Washington State Accessible Outdoor Recreation Guide offers accessibility information for all areas of Washington State including South Central Washington and Southeastern Washington.
Archery and Shooting Associations
Several shooting and archery associations exist in this region. A sample of what is available is listed below by city:
- Moxee: Sun Walley Shooting Park offers covered rifle & pistol ranges, archery, trap, skeet, cowboy action, rifle competitions and much more. Note: Moxee is about 20 miles from Yakima.
- Prosser: The Horse Heaven Sportsman Society has an outdoor shooting range in Prosser which is about 30 minutes from the Tri-Cities.
- Tri-Cities: Colyak Bowhunters is affiliated with the Washington State Archery Association and maintains an archery range located at the W.E. Johnson Park in Richland.
- Tri-Cities: Tri-Cities Metallic Silhouette Association is affiliated with the National Rifle Association and maintains a shooting range located northeast of Pasco and accessible from Highway 12 to the Pasco-Kahlotus road.
- Tri-Cities: Tri-Cities Shooting Association is affiliated with the National Rifle Association and maintains a public shooting range at the Rattlesnake Mountain Shooting Facility (RMSF).
- Waitsburg: Waitsburg Gun Club has both an outdoor rifle and pistol range and offers pistol silhouette, muzzleloading, and trap shooting.
- Walla Walla: Blue Mountain Archers is dedicated to the promotion of archery and bowhunting. The club operates two archery ranges (indoor & outdoor) for member use, sponsors two 3-D tournaments, a summer club picnic and two banquets each year.
- Walla Walla: Walla Walla Gun Club is dedicated to trap shooting and has 18 trap fields and one skeet field.
- Hermiston, OR: North East Bow Hunters is a family friendly archery club that offers four 3-D shoots each year.
Other Associations
More associations in this region can be found using the following resources:- National Rifle Association
- Oregon Bow Hunters
- Washington State Archery Association
- Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife
Bird Watching, Native Plant Identification, and Wildlife Viewing
Animals and Plants of Eastern Washington
Animals and Plants of Eastern Washington is an excellent resource on native plants and wildlife in Eastern Washington. In addition, maps and other resources are provided. Check out Wildife Areas, Refuges, and Parks to find wild places in wide-open spaces. According to the author, "The Web is useful but the outdoors is where the wonder is at."
Audubon Societies
Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Nature Trail
Several Audubon Societies serve this region that conduct bird censuses, field trips, and education programs. In addition, they are involved in conservation projects.
- Blue Mountain Audubon Society - Walla Walla region
- Central Basin Audubon Society - Moses Lake region
- Lower Columbian Basin Audubon Society - Tri-Cities region
- Yakima Valley Audubon Society
Dark-eyed Junco
Larry Umthun is a member of the Lower Columbian Basin Audubon Society and has an excellent gallery of
bird photographs.
Backyard Wildlife Sanctuaries
The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife is promoting the creation of Backyard Wildlife Sanctuaries. An information packet is available for five dollars.
Bateman Island
Photo by Joe Becker
Bateman Island (Tri-Cities) is classified as an urban wildlife area and is two miles long and one mile wide. It is located at the confluence of the Yakima River with the Columbia River. Access to the island is from Columbia Parkway off Highyway 240. Outdoor recreation includes walking, mountain biking, fishing, and bird watching. The Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society offers monthly bird walks where an average of 30 to 40 bird species can be sighted.
Blue Mountain Wildlife
Blue Mountain Wildlife, located in Pendleton, aids orphaned, sick or injured wildlife, primarily birds of prey, by providing the treatment and care necessary to return them to their natural habitat.
Burrowing OwlCam in the Tri-Cities
The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has placed a webcam in the Tri-Cities for viewers to watch Burrowing Owls from their WildWatchcams page.
Flora of the Inland Pacific Northwest
Flora of the Inland Pacific Northwest, formerly known as Central Washington Native Plants, offers a photo gallery of over 300 of the more common plants of Central Washington. This photographic collection includes descriptions of the species, distribution, habitat, morphology, and ethnobotanical uses.
Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges
The Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges fosters understanding, appreciation and conservation of native fish, wildlife and plants located at Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuges and assists USF&WS in providing opportunities and programs for environmental education and interpretation, and for wildlife-dependent recreation. This organization also maintains the McNary National Wildlife Refuge Education Center located in Burbank, WA.
North Leslie Groves Natural Area
Photo by Jim McIntyre
The North Leslie Groves natural area is located in North Richland along the Columbia River between Snyder and Ferry. This open space area consists of 25 acres that is being restored with native plants. For more information contact Debbie Berkowitz: (509) 375-4740 or email: cdandrb@charter.net.
Oregon Wildlife Visitors' Guide
The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife offers a visitors' guide to the Irrigon Wildlife Area (near Hermiston) and the Willow Creek Wildlife Area (Pendleton).
Othello Sandhill Crane Festival
Watch the Sandhill Cranes at the annual three day Othello Sandhill Crane Festival. This festival began in 1998 and occurs every year towards the end of March.
Palouse Prairie Foundation
Photo of the Giant Palouse Earthworm by Yaniria Sanchez-de Leon/University of Idaho
The Palouse Prairie Foundation promotes preservation and restoration of native Palouse Prairie ecosystems in Whitman and Latah Counties (Colfax, Wa - Moscow, ID region). This organization has documented the birds, animals, and plants that are native to the Palouse Prairie region. In addition to promoting landscaping with native plants, they have interesting information about the Giant Palouse Earthworm.
Pioneer Park Aviary
Visit the Pioneer Park Aviary in Walla Walla. This aviary is home to about 200 exotic birds and can be an educational experience for the whole family.
Washington Audubon - Great Washington State Birding Trail
On February 19, 2009, Washington Audubon announced the addition of the
Sun and Sage Loop to the
Great Washington State Birding Trail.
This new addition encompasses Southeast Washington. You can view the
interactive map
that contains information about habitat, bird species, access, and best seasons for birding.
Washington Native Plant Society - Columbia Basin Chapter
McBee Grade Hikers - photo by Donna Lucas
The Washington Native Plant Society - Columbia Basin Chapter serves the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla area and is active in conducting plant surveys, salvaging, seed collecting, restoration ecology and public outreach. In addition, this organization offers a free downloadable guide titled "The Natural Way to Grow: Gardening with Native Plants of Eastern Washington" (PDF), maintains a photo gallery of Columbia Basin Wildflowers, and coordinates wildflower viewing field trips in the spring and other activities.
Washington Wildlife Viewing Guides and Areas
The Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife offers Wildlife Viewing Guides for the Columbia Basin/Southeastern Washington and the Yakima Area regions. Additional information is available for the Columbia Basin (near Moses Lake), Sunnyside - Snake River (Benton City to Union Gap and in the Mesa/Eltopia area), and Wooten (east of Dayton and south of Pomeroy) areas.
Yakima Area Arboretum
The mission of the Yakima Area Arboretum is to create and share a living museum of botanical specimens in order to cultivate a greater knowledge and appreciation of native and adaptive plants in an atmosphere of beauty, inspiration, and relaxation.
Biking and Cycling Clubs, Guides and Maps
Tri-Cities
The Benton-Franklin Council of Governments offers a "Cycling Tri-Cities" map which shows bike routes, area Bike/Ped trails, the Sacagawea Heritage Trail, area parks, facilities, and other points of interest.
The Tri-City Bicycle Club attracts adult riders of various ages and riding abilities. They are a "touring" club, meaning the emphasis is on the joy and adventure of cycling, not competition.
Columbia Basin BMX is for those with an interesting in BMX racing. This organizations holds competitive dirt bike racing events at the Horn Rapids Athletic Complex in Richland.
Walla Walla
The Walla Walla region is a good area for both road and mountain biking. Road biking opportunities exist on and off trails while mountain bikers will find an abundance of tracks in the foothills of the blue mountains.Bike route maps for the Walla Walla region are available online:
For mountain bikers, Kevin Pogue has published the
Mountain Bike Guide to the Blue Mountains near Walla Walla, Washington.
In addition, cycling opportunities are offered by Walla Walla Valley Cycling.
Yakima
The Chinook Cycling Club promotes family participation in the sport of cycling for all ability levels with an emphasis on FUN!
Pendleton
The bicyclists who make up Pendleton On Wheels are ordinary people with an extraordinary love of cycling.
Bicycling in Washington State
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) offers a section on Bicycling in Washington State that includes links to regional bike route maps, state bicycle laws, and safety tips for biking.
Campgrounds & Reservations
Reserve a camping or RV spot at any park maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers or the National Forest Service online at Recreation.gov. To obtain a list of campgrounds or other recreational areas of interest, use their search form to find the activity in Washington State near Richland.
Canoeing, Kayaking and Sailing Clubs
Kayaks at White Bluffs - Photo by Dave Goeke
Columbia Kayak Adventures offers kayaking courses and tours in this area and lists places to paddle in the Tri-Cities area or as part of an easy day trip.
Also, there are several local clubs in the Tri-Cities area that include:
- Columbia Basin Sailing Club - engages in competetive sailing at Charbonneau Park on Lake Sacajawea behind Ice Harbor dam. They also host the annual Desert Regatta.
- Desert Kayak & Canoe Club - engages in whitewater-kayaking, sea-kayaking, canoeing, and rafting activities throughout the Northwest.
- Tri-Cities Outrigger Canoe Club - enages in the sport of outrigger canoeing. The paddling season lasts from April through October and includes both recreational and competitive events.
City Parks and Recreation Departments
City parks and recreation departments support outdoor recreation activities that typically include softball and swimming opportunities. However, they also support other outdoor activities including lessons in fly fishing and kayaking.
Check out some of the outdoor activities offered by the parks and recreation departments in the following communities:
Columbia Plateau Trail
Tri-City Herald Video
A 15 mile section of trail in Franklin County is now part of the 130-mile Columbia Plateau Trail that runs from the Tri-Cities to Cheney along the old SP&S railroad tracks. This trail is for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. The nearest entry point from Tri-Cities is at Ice Harbor Dam. Tri-City Herald has an online video about this trail section.
To get to the trailhead from Pasco, take Highway 12 east toward Walla Walla, then drive about 8.2 miles north on the Pasco-Kahlotus Highway. Turn right on Ice Harbor Dam Road and travel 2.5 miles to the dam. Continue north to the boat launch, taking the upper road nearest the railroad tracks.
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakima Nation
Wildlife, Range, & Vegetation Resources Management Program
The Yakima Nation's Wildlife, Range, & Vegetation Resources Management Program manages wildlife and habitats throughout the ecologically diverse, 1.2 million acre Reservation. As a Sovereign Nation under this Treaty, the Yakama Nation remains focused on their responsibility as stewards and protectors of the land and its valuable resources. Each year, the Yakima Nation opens a portion of the reservation for hunting of birds and small game. See The Public Hunting & Fishing Program for more information.
Conservation Organizations and Recreational Opportunities
Several non-profit organizations have been working to preserve open spaces and natural habitats in the Tri-Cities and Yakima region. As a result of their efforts, several new trails have been created along with other recreational opportunities. Note: these organizations are looking for volunteers to help with their projects!
Cowiche Canyon Conservancy
The goal of Cowiche Canyon Conservancy (Yakima) is to preserve, enhance and maintain Cowiche Canyon with its undeveloped uplands, and Snow Mountain Ranch as a natural area for use and enjoyment by the public. This organization has created over 14 miles of trails for hikers and mountain bikers.
Friends of Badger Mountain
The Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve is maintained by Friends of Badger Mountain. This group is lobbying to preserve local ridges for their scenic view and as open space. In their preservation efforts of Badger Mountain, two trails were created. The 1.1 mile Canyon Trail is for hikers while the 2.2 mile Skyline Trail is for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders (see Access and Trails).
Lower Columbian Basin Audubon Society
The Lower Columbian Basin Audubon Society (Tri-Cities) maintains the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Nature Trail which consists of eight acres in central Columbia Park between State Highway 240 and the Columbia River in Kennewick. To get there, take State Route 240 to Edison Street in Kennewick and follow the signs to the park.
Open Space Coalition of Benton and Franklin Counties
The Open Space Coalition of Benton and Frankin Counties (OSFBF) promotes land use that sustains our great outdoors and community spirit. The coalition was formed in 2006 to provide a forum for coordinating and maximizing the effectiveness of groups and individuals with common principles who are working on natural open space and open space-related missions.
Partnerships include:
- Columbia Basin Chapter, Washington Native Plant Society (CBNPS)
- Friends of Badger Mountain
- Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges
- Fun, Fit & Over 50 Club
- Inter-Mountain Alpine Club
- Lake Lewis Chapter, Ice Age Floods Institute
- Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society
- Tapteal Greenway Association
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit organization working with communities to preserve unused rail corridors by transforming them into trails. This organization sponsors TrailLink.com which is a free trail search service. Some of the rails-to-trails projects that have been completed in this region include:
- Lower Yakima Valley Pathway (Grandview/Sunnyside) provides opportunities for walking, biking, cross country skiing, inline skating, and is ADA accessible.
- Cowiche Canyon Trail (Yakima) provides opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, running, cross-country skiing and wildlife observing. (more info...)
- Lake Wallula Scenic River Hiking Trail (Hat Rock State Park to McNary Beach Park - Umatilla) provides opportunities for hiking. (more info... PDF)
Sacagawea Heritage Trail
The Sacagawea Heritage Trail (Tri-Cities) is a recreational and educational trail along twenty-two miles of beautiful Columbia River shoreline in the Tri-Cities that has been created for bicycle and pedestrian use (see map).
Tapteal Greenway Association
The Tapteal Greenway Association has the mission of protecting native habitats and species through conservation and enhancing recreational opportunities throughout a 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. Many park trails and several boat launches have been constructed in this area by this association.
Two of the major major preserves this organization is responsible for creating and maintaining are the Amon Basin and the Chamna Natural Preserve. Various maps of the Tapteal Greenway are available for download.
In 2007, the Tapteal Greenway Association, with support from local government and non-profit organizations, requested assistance from the National Park Service (NPS) to facilitate public open space planning through their RTCA Assistance Program. The request was approved and the planning process is underway for the Ridges to Rivers Open Space Network.
Yakima Bluffs Environmental Learning Park
An initiative is being proposed to the the City of Richland to establish an environmental learning park above the Yakima River near the Queensgate shopping complex. The Yakima Bluffs provide the best exposure of the ancient Yakima River deposits within the Columbia Basin that resulted from multiple ice age floods.
For more information, view the one page flyer (PDF file) and the proposal (PDF file). The flyer contains contact information for this initiative.
Yakima Greenway Foundation
The Yakima Greenway Foundation conserves, enhances and maintains the Yakima Greenway as a continuing living resource for future generations. The foundation boasts ten miles of paved pathway, three parks, two fishing lakes, and four river access landings (see maps).
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Fishing and Hunting Resources
Washington and Oregon fishing and hunting resources, including regulations and seasons, are available from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). For weekly fishing, hunting and wildlife reports, check out the ODFW Recreation Report and the WDFW Weekender Report.
Family Fishing
The WDWF promotes family fishing (juveniles, juniors and adults when accompanied by a juvenile). For a list of places to fish and fishing regulations, see Youth Fishing.
Water Access Sites for Boaters and Bank Fishermen
The WDWF maintains Water Access Sites for boaters and bank fishermen. In addition, information about the types of game fish available at each site is listed. Water Access Sites can be found in the counties of Adam, Benton, Franklin, Grant, and Yakima.
Fishing and Hunting Clubs
Photo by Scott Butner
There are several fishing and hunting clubs in this region that include:
- Blue Mountain Flycasters is a fly fishing club that operates out of Pendleton.
- Columbia Basin Bass Club (Tri-Cities), established in 1971, is Washington State's largest family-oriented bass club.
- Columbia Basin Fly Casters (Tri-Cities) is a fly fishing club that was established in 1978.
- Columbia Basin Chapter of Quail Forever (Tri-Cities) is engaged in upland game bird hunting and the preservation of habitats for California Valley and Mountain Quail.
- Richland Rod & Gun Club is an organized group of hunters, fishermen, and conservationists who share a common interest in the outdoors. Also, this club maintains the website Northwest Game Recipes.
- Tri-City River Runners is an organized group of bass fisherman who primarily fish the Columbia and Snake Rivers. They are also heavy participants in bass tournaments in this region.
- WallaČ Fly Fishers represents the fly fishers of the Walla Walla River Valley. This club was formed in March 2009 and is a charter chapter of the Federation of Fly Fishers.
- Yakima Fly Fishers Association is a non-profit group of local Yakima area fly fishermen and women. They are advocates for education, conservation and habitat rehabilitation for the sport of fly fishing in the Yakima area.
- Yakima Valley Pheasants Forever is engaged in upland game bird hunting and wetland restoration and enhancement in the Yakima Valley area.
Fun, Fit and Over 50 Club
Fun, Fit and Over 50 Club (Tri-Cites) is a group of aging, but not aged, folks who enjoy the fun of being outdoors and being active. They engage in activies such as biking, hiking, skiing, walking, canoeing/kayaking, and other social activities. Check out their activity calendar and their activities location map (PDF).
Hanford Reach National Monument
Photo by Terry Richard
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has current information about recreational opportunities and visiting guidelines for the Hanford Reach National Monument. These opportunities include boating, kayaking, conoeing, fishing, hiking, nature observation, and photography.
Terry Richard, from The Oregonian, posted a story about Hanford: It's not a reach to see beauty in this place. He describes several ways to access the different Hanford Reach units and some of the activities that can be done in each unit.
A River Tour Guide to the Hanford Reach, published in 1998 by the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society, describes the sights and ecology of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River for rafters, kayakers, and canoers. To access this guide, go to www.hanfordreach.org and select the link titled "Tour Guide for Rafters" from the site navigation menu.
There are several short trip reports about "Hanford Reach - White Bluffs" that have been posted at Washington Trails Association that are worth checking out.
Hiking and Climbing Clubs
Hiking Wallula Gap - photo by George Meriwether
The Inter-Mountain Alpine Club has been in existence in the Tri-Cities since 1948 to encourage the enjoyment of the outdoors and to promote hiking, mountain climbing, and other activities (see Calendar). In addition, view their downloadable brochure of local hikes (PDF) in the Tri-Cities area. Also, see this club on Meetup which is a social network.
The Cascadians is an outdoor recreation and conservation club located in Yakima. Activities include hiking, backpacking, climbing, skiing, bicycling, kayaking, and rafting (see Outings Calendar).
Horseback Trail Riding Clubs
Backcountry Horsemen of Washingtion
There are several Backcountry Horsemen of Washingtion chapters in this region that offer horseback trail riding opportunities:- Purple Sage Riders (PSR) - Tri-Cities
- Rattlesnake Ridge Riders (RRR) - Benton City
Safety Tips for Sharing Trails with Horses
The Lake Washington Saddle Club offers Safety Tips for Sharing Trails with Horses (PDF).
Tri-Cities Horse Calendar
For a list of horseback riding clubs and events in the Tri-Cities area, check the Tri-Cities Horse Calendar.
Juniper Dunes Wilderness
Photo by Terry Richard
For an early season day-time hiking or horseback riding opportunity, visit the Juniper Dunes Wilderness area which is 15 miles north of Pasco. The Juniper Dunes Wilderness is a protected wilderness area comprising of 7,140 acres that was established in 1984. This area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), is surrounded by private land but an agreement between landowners and the BLM has been reached to allow public access from the south.
Terry Richard, from The Oregonian, posted a story about Juniper Dunes: a rare BLM wilderness. He describes his experience there and how to access the Juniper Dunes from another route from the north that is only 100 yards from the first sand dune. Access permission from the landowner is required and access is allowed only during March, April and May.
Flora and fauna information associated with the Juniper Dunes Wilderness area is available from Wikipedia.
Lake Sacajawea & Lake Wallula Recreational Areas
Camping with the Corps of Engineers is available from Cottage Publications
The US Army Corp of Engineers Walla Walla District maintains several recreational areas including Lake Sacajawea, the Snake River backup created by Ice Harbor Dam, 9 miles east of Pasco, and Lake Wallula, the 64 mile long Columbia River backup created by McNary Dam near Umatilla. For a list of recreational sites in these two areas, examine the Lake Wallula Overview and Lake Sacajawea Overview.
To find recreational sites that offer specific activites (boating, camping, hiking, hunting, picnicking, and/or watching wildlife), search the recreational categories under the "Activities" section in Walla Walla District Parks and Lakes - Recreation areas.
For detailed campground information around Lake Sacajawea, download the Ice Harbor Campground Brochure (PDF).
Map My Ride
Map My Ride is a great tool for cyclists, hikers, walkers, and others to map their favorite routes and trails and share them with the public. You can use the search form to find cycling routes and trails locally or around the world! Map details can include elevation data and 3D views.
Check out some of the cycling routes that have been published for Richland, Walla Walla, and Yakima.
Mid-Columbia River Natural Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex
The Mid-Columbia River Natural Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex includes several refuges in this region. The administrative offices are located at the McNary NWR, Burbank, Washington. Some of the activities available include hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, boating, photography and wildlife observation. The refuges located in this region are:
- Cold Springs Natural Wildlife Refuge (6 miles from Hermiston, OR)
- Columbia Natural Wildlife Refuge (Othello, WA)
- Hanford Reach National Monument (north of Richland, WA)
- McKay Creek Natural Wildlife Refuge (5 miles from Pendleton, WA)
- McNary Natural Wildlife Refuge (Burbank, WA)
- Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge (north of Richland, WA -
see map)
This refuge is comprised of the following units: - Fitzner-Eberhardt Arid Lands Ecology Reserve
- Saddle Mountain
- Wahluke
- Columbia River Corridor
- McGee Ranch/Riverlands
- Vernita Bridge
- Toppenish Natural Wildlife Refuge (6 miles from Toppenish, WA)
- Umatilla Natural Wildlife Refuge (located along the Columbia River in the vicinity of Irrigon, OR, and Paterson, WA)
Northwest Discovery Water Trail
The Northwest Discovery Water Trail provides the opportunity to travel and explore the Clearwater, Snake, and Columbia Rivers. The water trail connects you to over 150 sites to launch your boat, picnic, or camp along these rivers when you travel by motorboat, canoe, sailboat, or kayak.
Outdoor Clinics and Events
REI, a sporting goods store in Kennewick, sponsors a series of outdoor related clinics and events in the Tri-Cities region.
Public Lands Information Center
The Public Lands Information Center allows you to search all public lands for campgrounds, parks & monuments, historical-cultural sites, lakes & reservoirs, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges & fish hatcheries, national & historic trails, and scenic drives. In addition, you can search by activity type like horseback riding or hiking. Try Search Washington's Public Lands and Search Oregon's Public Lands.
The following information is available from the Public Lands Information Center for this region:
- Yakima area (Yakima River Canyon, Yakima Sportsman State Park, Saddle Mnt NWF)
- Columbia Basin/Moses Lake area (Desert Wildlife Area, Lake Herbert G. West, Potholes State Park, Scooteney Reservoir)
- Prosser - Union Gap (I-82 Wildlife Area, Sunnyside and Byron Wildlife Areas)
- Tri-Cities - Walla Walla (Horse Heaven Hills, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Mill Creek Lake, Sacajawea State Park, Whitman Mission National Historic Site)
- Dayton - Clarkston, Umatilla National Forest (Lewis & Clark Trail State Park, Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness)
- Umatilla - Pendleton, Umatilla National Forest (Hat Rock State Park, McKay Creek NWR, Umatilla NWR, Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness)
Rock Climbing
For rock climbing locations, check out Kevin Pogue's guide to Rock Climbing areas near Walla Walla. Kevin's guide covers climbing areas in Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon.
Scuba Diving
Diving the beautiful waters of eastern Washington since 1960, the Atomic Ducks Dive Club consists of scuba divers from Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, Walla Walla, as well as Oregon and Idaho.
Skiing Activities
Photo by Kim McIntyre
Bluewood & Spout Springs
Downhill and/or cross country skiing activities are available at Bluewood, located near Dayton, WA, and Spout Springs, located near Tollgate, OR.
Desert Ski Club
The Desert Ski Club is the Ski & Snowboard Club of the Tri Cities. This club has evolved into a year around Sports and Social Activities Club for singles & couples 21+ years of age.
Umatilla National Forest
The Umatilla National Forest has several winter sport activities available including sledding and cross country skiing,
State Parks
Hat Rock
There are six state parks in this region that offer several recreational opportunities:
- Fort Simcoe - (7 miles from White Swan) - Activities: day-use, museum.
- Hat Rock - (9 miles from Umatilla) - Activities: day-use, boating, fishing, hiking.
- Lewis and Clark Trail - (25 miles from Walla Walla) - Activities: camping, day-use, hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing.
- Palouse Falls - (23 miles from Washtucna) - Activities: camping, day-use.
- Potholes - (17 miles from Moses Lake) - Activities: camping, day-use, boating, water skiing, kayaking, hiking, fishing.
- Sacajawea - (5 miles from Pasco) - Activities: day-use, boating, water skiing, fishing, hiking.
Trailside with Sally O'Neal
Sally O'Neal is a southeastern Washington native and a weekly contributor to The Sportsman's Guide. Her featured columns include On The Trail Of Sacagawea: Part 1, Kayaking the Yakima River, and Braving The Back Of The Badger. She is also the author of Great Bike Rides in Eastern Washington & Oregon.
Tri-Cities Region Outdoor News
The Tri-City Herald has a section on Sports: Outdoors for this region.
Umatilla National Forest
The Umatilla National Forest is located in the Blue Mountains of Southeast Washington (Pomeroy District) and Northeast Oregon (Walla Walla District). Many recreational opportunities are available that include bird watching, camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, horseback riding, river rafting, and picking huckleberries.
For example, the Pomeroy District offers recreational trails, camping, fishing, hunting, and winter activities and the Walla Walla District offers camping, fishing, recreational trails, and bird watching (PDF).
An updated motorized vehicle use map is available that shows routes open to motorized travel and displays designations by vehicle class, seasons of use, and general travel rules and regulations.
Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) is a state grant program that provides funding to protect habitat, preserve working farms and create new local and state parks. You may view the parks and recreation areas for proposed and funded projects for your community.
Books & Maps
A Best Places Guide to the Outdoors
Two books that are part of the "A Best Places Guide to the Outdoors" series have been published that include information on camping, biking, hiking and other outdoor activities in this region. These books were published 8-10 years ago so information about lodging and contact information may be outdated but the basic outdoor activities described are still valid.
Inside Out Oregon: A Best Places Guide to the Outdoors
by Terry Richard
Inside Out Washington: A Best Places Guide to the Outdoors
by Ron C Judd
Note: You will find several references to Terry Richard's articles (Travels with Terry) from The Oregonian newspaper published on this website. Also, Ron C Judd has published at least nine books on outdoor recreation and is a columnist with the Seattle Times newspaper (Trail Mix: Ron Judd).
Biking & Hiking Books
Several books that describe bike rides and hiking trips in this region have been published. Check out some of the examples below:
55 Hikes in Central Washington explores hiking in the following areas: Yakima, Pot Holes, Wenatchee, Grand Coulee, Columbia River, Snake River, and Umtanum.
100 Hikes in Inland Northwest covers hikes that are all within a three-hour drive of Spokane, Washington.
Best Desert Hikes: Washington explores 100 hikes, from short half-day trips (1-5 miles) to overnighters from Spokane, the TriCities, Yakima-Ellensburg, and Wenatchee-Chelan.
Great Bike Rides in Eastern Washington & Oregon presents 25 road tours that range from two-hour easy jaunts to challenging all-day rides.
Note: there is another book listed in the Geology - Ice Age Floods section by Bruce Bjornstad that shows the best places to hike, bike, drive and fly to see some of the unique geologic features in this region.
Fishes of the Columbia Basin
Dennis Dauble published Fishes of the Columbia Basin which is an easy-to-use guide that includes handy references to fish species, locations of Columbia River tributaries and dams, websites related to fish and fishing, plus 147 illustrations and 16 pages of color plates. To learn more about this book, visit Keokee Books.
Wildflower Guides
The books shown below can be purchased at the monthly meetings of the Washington Native Plant Society - Columbia Basin Chapter (Tri-Cities). For more information about these and other recommended books, visit their bookstore.
Maps & Atlases
Benchmark Maps publishes several maps for this region that are shown below. They are great for locating campgrounds, parks and monuments, wildlife areas, boating and fishing locations, game management units and public lands.
The Northwest Map and Travel Book Center, based in Spokane, offers a complete selection of maps
for the Pacific Northwest region. They cover this area with a variety of products,
including Forest Service maps, public land maps, road maps, state and county atlases, and USGS topographic maps.