Black Canyon
Oct 29, 2005
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Black Canyon
- Region: Eastern Washington -- Yakima
- Agency: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Avg Rating: 4.40
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!
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Mount Aix as seen from the top of Umtanum Ridge
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