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Umtanum Creek Falls

Last modified Mar 19, 2010 03:59 PM
Contributors: The Seattle Explorer
Photo by Whitebark.

A diversity of landscape and ecosystems are found along this canyon trek. Starting high and hiking downhill, the route begins in open, Douglas fir forest and ends in sagebrush and scrub grass desert canyons.

Elk roam the upper woods, and bighorn sheep prowl the steep canyon walls around the pounding waterfall. Visit in early spring to enjoy the best wildlife viewing (beasts of all sizes stick to this canyon while the snows still fill the high country). Spring also means the waterfall is running full with snowmelt water. The area in and around the falls is very icy in winter.

From the parking area, start down the Umtanum Falls Trail, noting that the first 0.5 mile no longer rolls between sections of private property. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife purchased this land in 2006, and it is now part of the state-owned L. T. Murray State Wildlife Recreation Area lands. For the next 0.5 mile, you'll pass through the transition zone between the lowland forest and the high desert. At times the canyon narrows and the north wall looms higher. With more shade and less scorching sun in the summer, trees thrive. Douglas firs tower high on the shaded slopes, while the canyon floor sports a dense forest of pine and fir. As you near the 1-mile mark, the canyon walls mellow, opening the entire chasm to the full glare of sun day in and day out. The result is dramatic: Gone are the towering firs and pines, and instead the canyon is filled with fragrant sagebrush groves.

At just over 1 mile, the stunning punchbowl surrounding Umtanum Falls opens before you. The creek falls about 40 feet into an oval-shaped basalt bowl. Throughout winter and spring, ice plasters the black rock alongside the falls as the water cascades into the bowl and then out a narrow canyon. In this water-rich basin, ponderosa pines thrive.

Hikers may continue down the creek valley for several miles along the "official" trail (brushy scramble in places), though we recommend exploring. Rock-hop across the creek well above the falls, where you'll find an easily scrambled slope to the top of the south wall of the canyon. Follow the canyon rim to view amazing rock formations: myriad volcanic basalt forms that boggle the mind. Later in spring, the ridge top also sports the first color of the local wildflower show. Buckwheat and balsamroot are especially abundant.

For a good daylong outing, follow the south canyon rim about 3 miles until it is broken by a broad side canyon, then turn back and head home.

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Recent Trip Reports

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There are 8 trip reports for this hike. See all trip reports for this hike.
Umtanum Creek Falls — Apr 12, 2009 — whitebark
Day hike
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The weather was cloudy and a bit drizzly at Umtanum Falls, but that was much better than the pouring rain...
The weather was cloudy and a bit drizzly at Umtanum Falls, but that was much better than the pouring rain in Seattle. I loved the scenery along the short trail to the falls-- the rushing creek, the pine and aspen groves set in a lava-rimmed canyon. A creek crossing part way to the falls was a bit tricky to negotiate, otherwise the trail was in pretty good shape. A few stubborn patches of ice and snow lingered by the falls.

To extend the hike, we climbed the south rim of the canyon and walked along an old road on the bench above. Flowers were beginning to bloom, small yellow and blue ones; it should be a great show in a few weeks.
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Umtanum Creek Falls — Jan 25, 2009 — Kim Brown
Day hike
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I won't go into details for this well-known hike off Canyon River Road outside of Ellensburg, but wanted to let...
I won't go into details for this well-known hike off Canyon River Road outside of Ellensburg, but wanted to let folks know the conditions.

This is a wonderful winter walk; colorful willows of coral, scarlet and orange contrast with the brilliant white snow, last years' dull sagebrush and the coulee walls.

The trail is covered with a thick coating of solid ice, and currently that is covered by a dusting of snow. We walked on the outer edge of the trail or off trail as much as possible. The rainwater used the trailbed as a creek, then froze solid. Some folks were there in Yak Trax, but advised even those were slipping. Several local people were there enjoying the sunny side of the canyon.

We just wore regular boots and thankfully had trekking poles, so it's doable regardless. Just wanted to give folks the idea that January is a wonderful time to visit this place, and if you go now, to expect slick conditions.

Saw several eagles perched in trees along the Yakima River. That was pretty funny, because Janet and I drove all the way up to the Bald Eagle Festival in Rockport yesterday and though we saw eagles and Janet had her super-duper eagle camera lense, none were close enough to get a good photo. The eagles along the Yakima were a lot closer for us to see, they were posed perfectly, and the lighting was ideal. Of course today she didn't have her super-duper eagle camera lense; which was even funnier (well, not really).
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Umtanum Creek Falls — Mar 07, 2006 — eelpi
Day hike
Issues: Washouts | Water on trail | Snow on trail
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This is one of the hikes in the Best Desert Hikes Washington book. The book doesn't mention that in the...

This is one of the hikes in the Best Desert Hikes Washington book. The book doesn't mention that in the first 0.5 miles, the trail fords the creek four times. Two of those fords are shallow enough to pick your way across in hiking boots and two of them aren't. Waterproof leggings mandatory.

The book recommends to visit in early spring, and that the 'area in and around the falls is very icy in winter'. True as far as it goes - the trail around the punchbowl is currently sheet ice up and across a 45 degree slope with a long drop onto rocks at the bottom. There was absolutely nothing for the Yak-Trax to get a grip into. Since I was there, I did manage to scramble around the falls bowl by going off path where the snow had mostly melted and hanging onto trees, but it wasn't fun, and I couldn't have got a good view of the falls without serious risk. Currently, I wouldn't recommend this trail without crampons and an ice axe.

Even before you reach the falls themselves, there's a tricky, icy stretch of path which was easier getting there (uphill) than getting back (downhill). In the end, I scrambled upslope to avoid it. The trail's very narrow in a couple of places where the bank has washed down into the creek.

I've done various hikes from the Best Desert Hikes book before, and generally found it to be informative and comprehensive, but the authors seem to have skipped a couple of the most important points on this one. They describe the hike as 'moderate', and in summer they'd be right, but since they recommend visiting at this time of year, a few more warnings about conditions would have been appropriate.

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Umtanum Creek Falls — Feb 25, 2006 — jhiker
Day hike
Issues: Snow on trail
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Although the falls is beautiful the trail has been used frequently and is packed snow and ice, and is very...

Although the falls is beautiful the trail has been used frequently and is packed snow and ice, and is very slick. It is extremely difficult to get a view of the falls because the trail above the falls is solid ice. This area is dangerous because of ice. Saw 6 people and a dog on the trail.

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Umtanum Creek Falls — Mar 25, 2005 — Bobn'Susie
Day hike
Issues: Clogged drainage | Mudholes | Mud/Rockslide | Water on trail | Overgrown
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We found ourselves at the trailhead after coming over Ellensburg Pass (no, flowers aren't blooming yet and there's still...

We found ourselves at the trailhead after coming over Ellensburg Pass (no, flowers aren't blooming yet and there's still snow traces at the summit...) Put on boots and meandered down the very muddy trail to the private property signs. We walked the fence line as good little hikers until the barbed wire turned uphill and then we bagged it and 'trespassed' onto a short corner of this humans private domain. After crossing out of 'its' property, we slithered on down the mucky trail to Umtanum Creek Falls. It's only a trickle but is very pretty dropping over a basalt ledge into a big plunge pool. Mucked our way back out quickly as it seems about a mile of 'trail.' This place really need WTA's hand on it to improve drainages and streamlet crossings. I hope the private land goes away soon too as other trail reports seem to hope for.

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Location
Eastern Washington -- Yakima
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
2.67 out of 5
Based on 3 votes
Featured In...

Best Desert Hikes: Washington
by Dan Nelson and Alan Bauer

Information about this hike provided in partnership with Mountaineers Books. © Mountaineers Books.

Roundtrip 3.0 miles
Elevation Gain 700 ft
Features
Waterfalls
Wildflowers/Meadows
Mountain views
Wildlife
Guidebooks & Maps
Best Desert Hikes: Washington (Bauer & Nelson - Mountaineers Books)
Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Yakima

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Driving Directions

From Seattle, drive east on Interstate 90 to exit 109 in Ellensburg. At the end of the exit ramp, turn right to drive under the freeway and at 0.7 mile turn left at Umtanum Road at the traffic light. Stay on this road, which turns to gravel at 5.2 miles, for a total of 10 miles from the freeway exit. At 10 miles, find a small signed parking area at a sharp turn in the road. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife permit required.

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