Yakima River Canyon Marathon & Bike Ride

Run A 26.2 mile marathon , take a bike ride with the family and enjoy the views along the way.
The Yakima River Canyon, framed by sheer basalt rock cliffs, rising 2,000 feet above the river. You will find the densest concentration of nesting hawks, eagles and falcons in the state, and the endangered basalt daisy, growing only in the Yakima River Canyon. The canyon is known for excellent Blue Ribbon fly fishing. In the summertime many float down the river on inner tubes, kayak or rafting for a relaxing and refreshing time. The Bureau of Land Management maintains campsites along the canyon and charges a minimal overnight fee for camping. The Umptanum Recreation area features a hike across the suspension foot bridge over the Yakima River into the scenic canyon area.

11th Annual Yakima River Canyon Marathon

Ellensburg to Selah, WA

Saturday April 2, 2011 8:00 am

The Yakima River Canyon Marathon, Saturday April 2, 2011 is a scenic point-to-point marathon course offering spectacular views of the Yakima River Canyon. Starting on Canyon Road .2 mile south of the Berry Road intersection in Ellensburg, Washington, the course follows the Yakima River downstream. The asphalt surfaced highway finishes in rural Selah, Washington, bringing runners to the Yakima Valley orchard and ranch country. The Yakima River Canyon Marathon is the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles and is USATF certified.

Race Headquarters: Selah Civic Center 216 South 1st Street Selah, WA

Runner Testimonial...
"A marathon that you really should consider for the whole weekend's experience is the Yakima River Canyon. It simply beats any other marathon experience PERIOD...not ready for a marathon, who cares? There are many, many slow runners and walkers and they are as well embraced, perhaps more so, than the front runners.
You'll rub elbows with many wide-eyed first timers and many knurly veterans that will astound middle of the packers, back of the packers, all equals at the end of the day."


Attend the Awards Ceremony and Pasta Feed with guest speaker Dick Beardsley: International best selling author and motivational speaker.
Relax after the exhilarating race with new friends, attend a show at Selah’s' newest venue, Carmen’s Comedy Club or Expore downtown Yakima, enjoy live music, wine tasting and art gallery walk.



Your Canyon For A Day! Bike Tour

They are closing down the Yakima River canyon for you and your family to take a ride on your bikes and enjoy the scenery!
Sunday May 22, 2011 9:00am to 3:00pm

A perfect ride for the whole family!

A 35-mile round trip ride, a great family event, riding through the scenic Yakima River Canyon. The road follows the Yakima River up a gentle grade with few hills. The highway will be closed to thru- traffic. PRE-REGISTER before May 1, 2011 to get your a free t-shirt mailed to you..

Begin the ride from either the South-Yakima end of the canyon or on the North-Ellensburg end of the canyon. The staging area is at the Roza Recreation Site at milepost 7 on SR 821 for those coming from the South-Yakima end.

Enjoy the beauty of the canyon with your family!

The Yakima Valley blog articles feature members of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau. If you would like to receive additional information regarding membership, Click here, or to request a membership application, please contact Michele Hopkins at (509) 575-3010.

The Perfect Day - Yakima River Canyon Para-gliding

The Yakima River Canyon is known primarily for Blue Ribbon Fly Fishing and lazy summer days floating the river, but did you know that experienced para-gliders have discovered the canyon ridges. There are two distinct ridges where para-gliders can be seen, at the northern end of the Yakima River Canyon, Baldy Butte and the southern, Selah Butte.
In the Yakima Valley, experienced para-gliders fly off Selah Butte, where the city of Selah, WA can be seen in the distance in this video, "Perfect Day."


Located at the northern end of the Yakima River Canyon, Baldy Butte is a popular for Paragliding. The launching area is the highest point along the Umtanum Ridge and privately owned. Members of NWPC have access through a site use agreement. The Northwest Paragliding Club sponsors a Fly-in at Baldy Butte in September.

Accommodations along the Yakima River Canyon range from exclusive upscale to camping.

• Canyon River Ranch a beautiful rustic lodge in the center of the Yakima River Canyon, with breathtaking views.
  

• Bureau of Land Management campsites situated along the Yakima River.

• The North Park Lodge -Rustic lodge pole furniture in the large rooms, Indoor pool, tanning beds and more. Located in Selah, WA only minutes from Downtown Yakima, offering many restaurant and evening entertainment choices.
  

Nature Tourism in the Yakima Valley

Nature tourism is defined as the enjoyment of travel through the natural world, its seasonal cycle and events, carried out in a manner that promotes the protection of natural and human communities.

Whether you choose the high desert route (I-82 E) over the sage and grass hilltops to overlook the valley stretching out below, or the route along the Yakima River at the bottom of the canyon, the natural scenery is spectacular. The Yakima River Canyon drive offers opportunities to spot eagles fishing in the winter as well as big horn sheep and mule deer on the cliffs and talus slopes. There are numerous places to pull off the road to view the wildlife and take pictures.




The Oak Creek Wildlife Feeding Station is located off The White Pass Scenic Byway (Hwy 12) Elk migrate from the mountains when the snow pack gets deep, to the foothills where the station is located. The Rocky Mountain Elk bulls average weight is 450-900 lbs and their antler racks are impressive. During severe winters, as many as 8,000 elk may use feeding areas. The migration affords the opportunity to see these majestic animals up close as they are being fed. You may watch the feeding, which is generally around 1:30 every day and usually the elk stay nearby after the feeding.

Discover Selah Winter Wildlife Tour:

• The Winter Wildlife Tour is a nature themed getaway on January 22, 2011. You will have a chance to view Bighorn sheep at the Cleman Mountain winter feeding station, where up to 150 sheep congregate during feeding times and the elk that gather at Oak Creek Wildlife Area. Not many have the chance to get this close to the animals for the unique viewing and photographic opportunity. The cost is $45/person and includes breakfast, lunch and transportation. Call 509-698-7300 to reserve your space.

The Yakima Area Wildlife Viewing Guide is a valuable resource outlining all the Nature tourism areas in the Yakima Valley. This brochure includes a map to all the natural areas and descriptions of the wildlife that one will see. The printed brochure is available at the Yakima Valley Visitor Information Center.

The Wenas Creek Wildlife Area was designated as a bird sanctuary in 1966 in honor of Hazel Wolf, a renown naturalist and Audubon mentor. Every Memorial Weekend, Washington State's Audubon Chapters and their friends gather in the Wenas Valley. There are campfire programs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. Field Trips, which include both birding trips and wildflower trips. are scheduled Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. This is a free event. The gathering is held in the vicinity of the Larrison Tree along Wenas Creek within the Wenas Creek Campground. The camping is primitive, if you would like to attending the programs and not camp there are many accommodation choices available in Yakima Area . The closest being the North Park Lodge in Selah.

• The North Park Lodge in Selah is a great place stay with rustic log furniture and over sized rooms, a free continental breakfast, use of arcade, heated indoor pool and evening lounge.

Everyone is welcome to join in this free family friendly outing which is attended each year by around 200 men, women and children.

The Audobon Society produces an excellent series of birding trail maps for all areas in Washington State. The Sun and Sage Loop map features the birds seen in the Yakima Valley Area.

Video update Added 1/2010
Text updated 12/8/2010

The Mountain Watching over the Yakima Valley: Mt. Adams

The first glimpse of Mt. Adams is seen in the distance coming over South Umptanum Ridge on I-82 E from Ellensburg. Often visitors to the Yakima Valley confuse the mountain they see, with Mt. Rainer to the north, as both mountains are shaped similar with a flattened dome.

As you travel over the Fred G Redmond Bridge, Selah is the first city you come to then traveling through a small gap between the hills you enter the cities of Yakima and then Union Gap. Continuing on through another gap between the hills, provides the most unobstructed view of Mt Adams.


This mountain, named for President Adams, is the second highest mountain in Washington State. Sacred to the Native Americans, there are legends involving Mt. Adams or Pahto (Paddo or Klickitat) in the native language. In one legend Mount Hood or Wy'east and Mount Adams (Pahto); were the sons of the Great Spirit. The brothers both competed for the love of the beautiful Mount St. Helens (La-wa-la-clough). Wy'east took La-wa-la-clough from Phato, losing La-wa-la-clough caused Pahto such grief that he dropped his head in shame (explaining Mt. Adams' flattened dome appearance).

Taking Exit 40 to the Yakima Valley highway, passing orchards and vineyards, and wineries, you will see Mt Adams in the distance. there are great places to stop and take in the view, such as Windy Point Winery, Knight Hill Winery and Hyatt Winery. Taking the Buena Road to Highland Drive affords views of Mt Adams. The mountain is behind you but there are wineries along this route in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA to stop and enjoy the scenery.

If you want to climb or hike on Mt Adams, then starting your hike at Bird Creek meadow you will need a Yakama Reservation Tract-D tribal-use permit. A few of the routes that are on the Reservation are Mazama Glacier, Klickitat Glacier, The Castle, or Rusk Glacier Headwall. If you are not an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, your climbing season is restricted from July 1 to October 1. The permit is available at the Mt Adams Ranger District office. It is interesting to note that the Pacific Crest Trail traverses the western flank of Mt Adams.

The Yakima Valley Visitor and Convention Bureau has featured a graphic of Mt. Adams in their new branded image, in recognition of the prominence and beauty of this grand mountain to the Yakama Nation and the Yakima Valley. (Seen Above)

Sources: Legends, Hiking Info. Gifford Pinchott National Forest-U S Forest Service website

Floating the Yakima River Canyon

What could be better than floating leisurely down the Yakima River when the temperatures are in the 90's. The Yakima River is a gentle class II river surrounded by volcanic basalt cliffs and arid sagebrush covered hills. You may see eagles soaring above the river, possibly elk and big horn sheep.

Rill Adventures, located 90 minutes for the 405/I-90 Interchange at Exit 101, offers raft rentals from 4 man to 10 man, tubes and inflatable kayaks. they will transport you to your drop off area and pick you up after your float.

If you are bringing your own tubes or rafts, two cars are needed, one to get to the area where you are starting, and one to leave where you plan on exiting the river.
There are a number of access point along the river. The Umtanum Recreation Area boat ramp is a great place to start and ending at the Roza boat ramp makes for an 8 mile float, which is 3 to 4 hours on the river. There are other areas where you can exit the river, such as the Lmuma Creek Recreation area if you are looking for a shorter river float.

Bring your cooler with your picnic and enjoy the ride. Relax, enjoy the scenery, visit with friends, take a break to swim or eat your picnic and have a fun afternoon float on the river.

In addition to camping options along the Yakima River, Canyon River Ranch features a great room with massive stone fireplace, library, game room, outdoor terrace, outdoor pool and spa, making it the ideal place to stay.

If you would like to stay closer to Yakima and enjoy the evening wine tasting and nightlife , yet enjoy the lodge experience North Park Lodge in Selah is the place to be. Offering spacious rooms, indoor pool and spa and tanning beds, making this a comfortable stay.

Discover Dinosaurs & Mammoths in the Yakima Valley!?!

After 65 Million Years They’re Back! Walking with Dinosaurs the arena spectacular is making a thundering comeback! Staggeringly realistic, a must see theatrical event for all ages. The terror of ancient terrain, 15 life size dinosaurs, and Tyrannosaurus Rex! Watch them walk! Hear them Roar! At the Yakima SunDome April 24-26.

Playing with Dinosaurs! Children in the Yakima Valley know that dinosaurs can be found in Granger, a city whose slogan is “Where Dinosaurs Roam!” These Dinosaurs are concrete over steel frames and wire mesh, placed in a playground setting. Building dinosaurs in Granger began in 1994. The first to be built was a Brontosaurus, then Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, and Pterosaurs, which can be found in the middle of Grangers’ manmade pond. A dozen species of dinosaurs are now an attraction for families from all over the Yakima Valley and beyond. Children can climb on the dinosaurs, picnic, play, and imagine they hear a roar, all in the park like setting.

Yakima Valley Museum Miocene Forest Exhibits: This unique exhibit features a glimpse of prehistoric Yakima. The Miocene Forest exhibit in the Helen N. Jewett Basalt Gallery features 15-million-year-old-trees, unearthed from a ridge in the Yakima Valley and reconstructed inside the museum. A mural depicting Yakima during the Miocene era surrounds the trees and visitors can examine polished cross-sections of different types of petrified hardwoods.

When dinosaurs roamed the earth, Yakima was underwater, a bay of the Pacific Ocean. The Time Tunnel at the Yakima Valley Museum provides a glimpse of the Yakima Valley 10,000 to 25 million years ago, more recent than the era dinosaurs lived on the earth. This was when our present local landscape was formed in a drama of lava flows and great glacial floods. Fossils hidden beneath our feet help reveal the unique animals which lived in the Yakima Valley during those years; mastodons, mammoths, giant camels, tiny horses, huge bison, and even a giant ground sloth

Wenas Creek Mammoth Project- Did you know that the Yakima Valley is home to a fascinating mammoth dig. Central Washington University (CWU) is conducting a scientific investigation of mammoth bones found on private land in the Wenas Creek Valley near Selah, Washington. The investigation is interdisciplinary, using methods from paleontology, archaeology, and geography. The goal of the project is careful scientific recovery of bones and associated artifacts, while placing the finds into appropriate context of physical geography. The project includes summer excavations offered as field schools, public site tours, presentations, and volunteer opportunities.
The dig in Selah, WA is open for tours from July 14 to August 8 Tuesday – Saturday 9 am -2 pm last tour starts at 1:30 a live cam of the dig can be seen at the site.