Black CanyonThe road continues from the parking area, though the huge berm of dirt prevents further vehicle access. Follow the road as it climbs the canyon. In a mile you'll find an old settler log cabin on the left. The cabin is surrounded by a lovely stand of cottonwoods and aspens--glorious golden during the peak of fall color season (usually early October). At 1.5 miles, the road splits. The best bet here is to bear right and stroll up another 2 miles through increasingly thick stands of ponderosa pine and white pine. Between the forest stands are lush high desert ecosystems, with an array of seasonal wildflowers filling the meadows. Elk abound here as they use the forests for cover and the meadows for feeding. Birds also appreciate the merging environments, with bluebirds nesting throughout the area in spring. At about 3.5 miles total from the trailhead, the road crests out on Umtanum Ridge, providing outstanding views: Look northeast to the Kittitas Valley near Ellensburg and west to the jagged summits of the snowcapped Cascades.
Driving Directions:
From Seattle, drive east on Interstate 90 to exit 109 in Ellensburg. After exiting the freeway, turn right to drive under the freeway. At 0.7 mile, turn left at Umtanum Road (at second traffic light). Continue on this road for 18.4 miles (turns to gravel at 5.2 miles) until it turns to pavement again upon entering the upper Wenas Valley. Stay on the pavement (Wenas Road), and in 3.9 miles (22.3 miles total from the traffic light in Ellensburg), turn left onto a very rough dirt road. Drive along this rough road 0.5 mile to a gate at the boundary of the L. T. Murray State Wildlife Recreation Area. Pass through the gate (close it behind you) and continue another 0.8 mile to the parking area at the end of the (drivable) road. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife permit required. Recent Trip Reports
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Day hike
Features:
Fall foliage
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I had hiked here in the spring but had seen reports of fall color, so while everyone else was off...
I had hiked here in the spring but had seen reports of fall color, so while everyone else was off hunting down larch, I took my group of Mountaineers to Black Canyon for some golden Aspen and other colors.
The colors were spectacular on the drive to the TH and we saw some wildlife, too: a jackrabbit, deer crossing the road (and waiting to cross in the woods) and a baby owl that sat motionless on the side of the road as 3 cars passed it. Once on the trail, the colors of trees and bushes were constant. A nice change from the deep forest and pine-covered trails of the west side. When we gained Umtanum Ridge, we could see the Stuart Range and the entire Teanaway, plus Mt Rainier. It was a little disorienting to see her from that viewpoint, and we were trying to place ourselves on a map. The only thing that took away a tiny bit of enjoyment was the hunters who drove up and down and shot at things (not us, we hoped). This is not a good place to wear black or brown; better to be dressed like the colors of fall.
Black Canyon
— Jul 05, 2011
— ashmachine
Overnight
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
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Great hike. Rainy year so creek still running, although recommend purification. Heard a rattler, it snuck off. Camped...
Great hike. Rainy year so creek still running, although recommend purification. Heard a rattler, it snuck off. Camped at old cabin and further up the road went right at the fork. two more beautiful miles to the ridge, great views of new wind turbines near Wenatchee. Saw iris, millefolium, balsam root, 40 elk, chipmunks, 5 other people.
Black Canyon
— Jun 18, 2011
— lilbied
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
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We did this as an overnight, attempting to get some warm sun for the weekend - and we succeeded! ...
We did this as an overnight, attempting to get some warm sun for the weekend - and we succeeded! The wildflowers were still in bloom and we had several bird sitings unique to east side of the mountains: Blue birds (Mountain and Western), tanager, and chukar among the most stunning. We camped in the field near the cabin about 1 mile up the trail - another couple was already in the primary camping spot there. On day 2 we walked up the trail to the right, reaching the ridge for a spectacular few of the Cascades. Several horned lizards awaited us on the ridge as well as fluttering bluebirds - fun to watch! A brief nap, then back down for the trip home.
The only drawback to this hike is the the very rocky road for a standard car - we made it in fine, but bottomed out a couple times on the way out. Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
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In contrast with the cooler and rainy conditions that discouraged me from hiking the past two weeks, sunshine was in...
In contrast with the cooler and rainy conditions that discouraged me from hiking the past two weeks, sunshine was in abundance today. Spring has given way to summer, so there was no excuse to get outside. Although the temperatures were probably in the mid 70’s, it felt pretty hot hiking up the canyon since there was virtually no wind. I kept wishing for a breeze that never materialized. Those three bottles of water I brought will easily be finished off today. Thankfully, the wind picked up a bit as I reached high point of the trail and I felt quite refreshed.
This trail is simply fascinating, since it is a study in microclimates and there is something new around every bend of the trail. First you hike through sagebrush, then along a small creek lined with Aspens as you enter the canyon proper, and finally meadows and scattered pine groves at the summit of Umtanum Ridge. The summit is a great place to soak up the views – a continuous panorama of the Cascades from Mount Rainier to the Stuart Range. It is still quite green everywhere because of the recent showers and there were plenty of wildflowers all along the trail. Balsamroots and Lupines were the most common at the lower elevations, giving way to different species at higher elevations. On past trips I’ve seen Shooting Stars in the wetter spots in the meadows, but not today. As I hiked back down the trail, I almost stepped on a snake two different times. I was startled each time (should not have been surprised the second time) and convinced that they were rattlesnakes at first, but I did not want to stick around to identify for sure. Also passed a leg of a deer or elk on the trail – a snack leftover by a coyote or cougar. At least my day had a happier ending. Multi-night backpack
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
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Followed the great driving directions from Ellensburg to the trailhead. The road from the gate to the trailhead is easily...
Followed the great driving directions from Ellensburg to the trailhead. The road from the gate to the trailhead is easily drivable in my Forester, probably fine for most vehicles. Parked at the huge berm of dirt and packed up amidst a short hail storm!
The hike in was beautiful, slowly gaining about 700' in the mile to the old log cabin. We set up camp at the log cabin - a perfect campsite with a nice flat meadow, plenty of shade and a nice small babbling brook for water. We proceeded that afternoon on an easy scramble to the top of the ridge directly west of the camp, about a 500' gain with amazing views. Enjoyed spending sometime on the ridge with plenty of wildflowers and chukar. Also lots of elk tracks and scat and some bear scat as well. Saw a horned lizard on the ridge along with a garter snake on the way down. The next day we completed the hike described here, up the Black Canyon to Umptanum Ridge and then back down. A great 5 mile loop (from the log cabin) with amazing views. Easily could have extended the hike along some adjoining ridges. One more night under the stars and then packed up and headed home on Memorial Day. Great hike/backpacking for beginners or a group (both of which applied to us) and a great campsite by the log cabin. We probably saw about 20 people in total, most of which were on the lookout for owls. |
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