Hidden Crossings - Umtanum Creek Canyon

This hike has been particularly frustrating for me. It was one of the first hikes I attempted after moving to the Yakima area. My first attempt was in early spring and it was flooded out. My second attempt came a few months later, where about a mile in I found myself stuck, unable to find where the creek crossed.

This year, I met a fellow hiker who had gotten stuck at the same point. We set out together. It took a bit of hunting, but we finally found the creek crossing! We went until we hit another dead-end. If we were feeling bold, we could have attempted another creek crossing but her toddler was ready to turn around at that point. I believe you can go all the way up the canyon to Wenas Road if you are motivated enough, but that would be a significantly longer hike that would likely require overnight camping.

We were just excited to find the crossing! I'll try to explain where we found it as best as we could.

Umtanum Creek Canyon
FBLM/WA State DNR
Parking permit: $5 FBLM permit
Distance: 4 miles round-trip
Elevation gain: 500'

From Ellensberg, head south on Canyon Road until you reach Umtanum Creek Recreation Area. From Yakima, head north on I-82 and take the exit for Highway 821. Head north on 821 through the canyon until you reach Umtanum Creek Rec Area.

You'll cross a blue footbridge across the river and then go under the railroad tracks to reach the trail.

At the obvious noticeboard, there's an obvious trail that goes to the left and up. Ignore that and hang a right instead, heading up the canyon. There's a lot of open steppe interspersed with tree groves. Later in the year, you may be fighting your way through shoulder-high tall grass that obscures the trail, so spring is probably the best season for this hike.

The banks of the creek are often steep on one side, so you can't just cross wherever you please. It took some hunting, but we found the crossing a little bit after the beaver dam.

A bit after this, the trail begins to braid out in multiple directions, with several dispersed campsites dotting the area. Keep to the narrower path closer to the creek and look for where it levels out with a big rocky shore. Here, we found a few logs that seemed intentionally placed to allow crossing. With a bit of careful balancing, we were able to cross and pick up the trail on the other side.

If you don't cross, you'll come across some old fenceposts and markings of an old homestead. If you hit this, you've gone a little bit too far. If the trail dead-ends in a festering pool of green muck, you definitely went too far.

Remember, there aren't too many places you can cross due to the steepness of the creek banks. The crossing is about a mile up the trail, so keep exploring any accessible bank until you find the crossing point. It's there, but it's difficult to find!

We continued on for another mile until we hit a dead end.

At this point if we were ambitious enough we could have made it across...it's shallow enough and there are enough footholds it wouldn't be too challenging, however we didn't see an obvious continuation on the other side, so we decided to turn around here. There are some nice areas to sit and rest in the shade, so it's a decent picnic and turnaround spot.

There were some flowers, though we didn't hit it at peak flower season, and there were lots of birds, snakes, and other wildlife. One squirrel in particular I think we annoyed, as it didn't seem to appreciate sharing the trail and thought we were following it.

As frustrating as this hike was in the past, it felt great to finally find that crossing and push through the other side. Perseverance and determination finally paid off, especially when two hikers worked together.

Yakima Skyline Trail

So I read a guide for this on wta.org's site, and in my hiking guide by Tami Asars, and I realized they were two distinctly different hikes. I followed the website's version, but I put both options on my map.

To get to either trailhead, be prepared for some rough road. From Selah, head north on S Wenas Ave. Follow it as it becomes N Wenas Rd for several miles until you see a sharp right onto Gibson Rd. Then take the next right onto Buffalo Rd. For the way I went, follow Buffalo Road almost to the end. You'll pass a fence that notes you need a Discover Pass. A high clearance vehicle is recommended, but I was able to manage this route in my AWD Subaru Impreza. Definitely recommend AWD/4WD at least for this one. The guidebook takes you through a wildlife gate onto a similarly rough dirt road that I have not attempted yet.

The website takes you from the southern trailhead (the red "P") up to the hitching post, with an optional push onto Gracie Point. The guidebook takes you from the northern trailhead (the pink "(P)") up a ravine to the saddle between peaks and up to Gracie Point. You'll pick up around 1400' of elevation gain to the hitching post, and 1800' to Gracie Point.

Yakima Skyline Trail
Washington State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
Parking permit: Discover Pass ($10 per day/$30 per year)
Distance: 4-8 miles round-trip, depending on where you turn around
Elevation gain: 1400' - 1800'

I hiked from the southern trailhead up to the hitching post, then dropped onto the saddle for a short ways. There was a pullout nearby the trailhead that is large enough for several vehicles to share.

The trailhead I used

The trail climbs steadily along the canyon ridge. Wildflowers were in bloom when I went. There were several birds as well. I disturbed a grey partridge that may have had a nest nearby.

I couldn't see either Mount Adams or Mount Rainier, as they were obscured by distance clouds, but on a clearer day I'm sure there are good views of both mountains.

There was absolutely no shade or cover. I ended up burning up pretty good. 

After passing the hitching post, I dropped onto the saddle just far enough to get a photo of Roza Dam. I wasn't equipped to make it all the way to Gracie Point; that will have to wait for another day.

Baldy Mountain and the TP Jim Trail

This trail in the Yakima River Canyon was hard to find a guide for. Google highlights a short portion of the TP Jim trail that goes up Baldy, and it seemed that WTA's listing used that distance (I've since edited it, and it looks like my edit was accepted). From the parking at Big Pines, it's about 2 miles to the summit using the "official" trail, which is poorly defined near the top and results in a very vertical climb. I went a different route that added about another half mile each way. With 2000 feet of elevation gain (800 feet in the first half, 1200 feet in the second half), it's not a climb for the faint of heart; I was glad I brought trekking poles on this one.

Baldy Mountain
Federal Bureau of Land Management (trailhead parking)
Parking permit: FBLM pass ($5/day)
Distance: 5 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 2000'

Parking is available at Big Pines Campground for a $5 fee, or there are some gravel shoulder pull-outs outside of the campground that offer free parking if available. The trail is steep and goes through sagebrush steppe; there is no tree cover on this hike, so be prepared. I went in late April; there was some mud, but the weather was cool and wildflowers were abundant.

The trailhead is well-marked across the street from the campground. Following this trail takes you up the "official" TP Jim trail. This trail, from what I have read, eventually fades and dissolves until it's almost indistinguishable near the top of the ridge. It's also a near vertical climb. I did not go this way.

This is the official trailhead

The more popular route seems to be a slightly longer, less-steep version that makes one long, giant switchback up the foot of the shoulder. Just look left of the trailhead. This trail is the one I took. It follows the road for a short while before curving away and climbing up.

This is the unofficial trailhead

Some wildflowers were apparent on the trail

I thought about descending on the "official" trail, but it was slightly muddy. Also, I couldn't find the junction at the top of the ridge. It's hard to spot, and I obviously missed it.

In the distance, you can just make out the "official" trail

You can't see Baldy from the parking lot. Because I didn't have a clear grasp on how long the trail actually was, I was thinking maybe it was just this first ridge. Then, I looked east.

Oh snap am I supposed to go all the way up that?

The summit of Baldy is further away than it looks. I felt that I was hiking but not getting any closer to the summit.

Not there yet

Why does it not feel closer yet?

There's no easy ways here; the trail goes straight up the ridge all the way to the radio towers on top.

I found it helpful to periodically turn around and look at how far I'd come instead of looking at what was left.

It looks better this way

Once at the top, you can look around at all the hills around you and feel accomplished. Mind the radio towers

Ditching the gear for a minute

River bend

My hiking buddy

Going down was almost as hard as going up. Despite the mud on the lower trail, the top was dry, with crumbly, pebbly dirt and rocks that turned the trail into a giant powder board. I was sliding all over on the way down. I was very glad I brought the trekking poles to help catch myself.

Overall, this is a great conditioner hike just outside of the Selah/Yakima area. Again, I'd advise caution in the heat of summer. It was an excellent spring hike, though!

Umtanum Ridge Crest - The First Half

About a month ago, I set out to discover Umtanum Creek Trail. Unfortunately, it was flooded out, but I saw another trail. I explored it for a ways before turning around since I had no maps or any idea what trail I was on. Turns out I was about halfway to the end of Umtanum Ridge Crest Trail. This will bear a repeat visit so I can finish it.

I gave stats for the complete trail. I marked my turnaround on the map.

Umtanum Ridge Trail
FBLM and WA State DNR
Parking permit: FBLM pass ($5/day)
Distance: 4.8 miles round-trip
Elevation gain: 2400 feet

The trail is on state land, but the trailhead parking is at Umtanum Recreation Area, a federally-managed site. Parking is $5/day, though there is a special annual permit you can get for the FBLM sites within Yakima River Canyon that is $25/year and purchasable at Red's Fly Shop south of the trailhead. The rec area is easy to find along Canyon Road. From Ellensburg it's to the south; from Yakima it's to the north.

The trailhead is at the north end of the parking lot. You start off crossing a suspension bridge over the river.

Next, you have to cross the train tracks. With the fencing, the best way I found was to duck low under the rail bridge that crosses, the creek, then follow the path adjacent to the rails until it veers off into the brush.

I could look up down Umtanum Creek Canyon, but the trail was flooded in early April when I went. So I took a left fork that led me up and away from my intended canyon.

It started off a bit steep, then leveled out into a more gradual steady climb.

There were some waterfalls and interesting rock formations.

As it evened out, I passed a rather large beaver dam. The steep canyon walls gave way to gentler rolling hills, and the trail began to gently criss-cross across the stream.

As the trail began to steeply climb again, I decided to turn around, since I didn't really know where I was or how much further the trail went.

Had I suffered the climb,the trail would have taken me atop a ridge with supposedly spectacular views. I will likely return in the fall to complete this hike.

Overall it was an interesting exploration, and my first hike in the Yakima Canyon.