OK, it seems like everyone is going to Black canyon these days! This was my first trip and now I know why everyone is visiting it!

Forget those rattlers and forget those ticks! The day I decided to go you had to watch out for all the Elmer Fudds hunting elk (take that with some humor)! I donned my ""you can see me from miles away"" bright orange vest and with my father-in-law set out from the parking area and followed an old road (washed out in places) up the canyon (a draw really).

The road follows a seasonal creek (which in places had enough moving water that could be heard) and the creek has lots of vegetation - namely ""quaking"" aspen. At one point you travel between sharp and jagged black basaltic rock formations dotted with holes big and small.

Someone told all the elk to go and hide (dunno why) but we did see a solitary doe (hunting season for bucks was last week) and near the old cabin I saw my first ever coyote! A hunter was pushing it down on the other side of the ""creek"" and when the coyote was closest to us, it decided to leave the ""creek"" and head up the hill. Gorgeous creature and a thrill to see!

We took our obligatory pictures of the old cabin with all the trees yellow and orange and then kept on going up.

Shortly after the cabin you leave the open steppe lands and all of the sudden you are surrounded by pine. Black canyon seems to have the most trees of the surrounding area. Lots of trees have been cut down and piles of slash (older and newer) dot the landscape. Never the less, it is still nice.

We made it to the top of Umtanum Ridge with a road acting as a ""hunter in 4x4s"" freeway. Aww, it wasn't that bad and minus the exhaust fumes, you had great views of Ellensburg and a fantastic view of Nelson ridge with a snow capped Mount Aix and the surrounding area! Was able to see part of the Stewart range and I bet on a clear day, you could see Mt. Rainier and more!

No ticks, no snakes. Some hunters, but really, it wasn't bad and they are quite kind. No snow and no mud. A good day to be out and enjoy the eastern steppe lands!

I headed over to the east side, seeking sunshine, and found it.

Following on from Mediancat's report of the 9th, the much-praised wildlife in the Best Desert Hikes book was once again notable for its absence, even though I had the canyon to myself. I saw little more than juncos and chipmunks, sadly no porcupines for me. There are still some butterflies, grasshoppers and ladybirds around, but I saw far more wildlife on the Westberg Trail back in June.

The unnamed road turn-off is indeed pretty daunting for standard clearance vehicles, but okay if you take it a crawl. Thankfully, once past the gate half a mile in, things improve considerably.

The trail is old road, and fairly rocky especially in the early stages, which makes it feel harder than the stats of 7 miles return and 1250 feet gain would suggest. The old cabin is around a mile and a half up the trail - the book claimed it was about a mile in, and I kept checking my pedometer and peering through trees thinking I'd missed it.

Tha canyon is fairly stunning with all the black talus, the usual desert plants, and currently the aspen and cottonwood near their best, though a few are losing leaves now. The upper parts of the trail are less dramatic, but it's a nice view from the ridge.

Bought a new hike book for the desert part of the state and chose this one for the potential of lots of wildlife. The road from wenas road to the trailhead was quite hateful - impreza outback made it, but just barely. my hiking companion (we'll call her josefa) and i began the hike around 10:30am. I attribute this late start time to the reason we didn't see much wildlife. The canyon itself is beautiful though, with the aspen changing color now. The old hunters cabin looks cool nestled among the aspen. The rock formations were interesting too, and seemed different from what i am used to in umtanum canyon. The aspen grove was vireo central - they were all over the place. Farther up there were some stellar jays and tons of chipmonks and squirrels dashing about the in ponderosa pine. Also saw one hairy woodpecker. Up on Umtanum ridge the wind was a bit noticeable so we lingered only long enough to eat. On the way back, we saw our first (live) porcupines. there were two young ones in the trees having snacks. since we were on the road/trail and they were up in the trees coming up from the valley floor, they were about level with us, perhaps ten yards away. we watched them dine for a while, then one of them settled into a crook in the tree for a nap. That was pretty much it for wildlife. The drive over (on wenas/umptanum rd) actually held more - coyote, deer, flocks of bluebirds and quail.

Escaped the drippy wetside for explorations in sagebrush country. Partly for the exercise, and half to see how the spring wildflower season is sprouting (pun intended). A few weeks early, however some tiny yellows and purples are beginning to bloom. Dust off those lenses:)

Out of Ellensburg, followed the dirt road over the Umtaneum (*go straight instead of right onto Durr Rd. leading to Yakima Canyon Rim N. TH). Scenic drive in pine and open range until Wenas Valley. Right on WDFW marked road at Black Canyon, parked at the gate. No one in sight, I was solo.

Hiked the road up into the head of canyon. Serious ""tank barrier"" WDFW digs with backhoe to thwart the most determined 4x4 or ATV. This is a berm of rocks piled 3 ft. high, on the other side a pit 4+ feet deep, 3ft wide in the shape of a double sided ""T"", backed by another berm on far side. Continuing along the foot path / abandoned road interesting stands of birch and cottonwood line creek bottom. Spooked a few Chukar hiding in the shrub, which abruptly fluttered off before the lens cap came off. Lots of other birds seen or heard (woodpeckers). Old gutted log cabin at about a mile in. At ~3 miles miles accended ridgeline to intercept a few elk. Again, they are far more nimble than my hand to lenscap reaction:( Lunched under a lone pine and viewed the distant rain squawl across Wenas Valley up Hardy Canyon. Trip back to TH was via the rolling ridgecrest cross country for a total dayhike of about 6 miles.

No bugs, no ticks, no snakes, no sunburn (yet..its only April)