Photos from Eastern Washington - Yakima

By Cascadian Kim

We stumbled upon a magificent garden of waist-high Lupin on a hike in Black Canyon.

By terpene

A Western Rattlesnake curled amongst the rocks on the Umtanum Ridge Crest Trail

By eelpi

A rattlesnake curled amongst the shrubs.

By Lone Cedar

A rattlesnake taking a nice swim on the Untanum Ridge Crest Trail.

By Slow Loris and Walks Ahead

A rattlesnake curled at the side of the trail.

By Nathaniel

A rattlesnake seen along the Umtanum Creek Canyon Trail.

By Bob and Barb

A rattlesnake on the Umtanum Creek Canyon Trail.

By WaNative

Did a short hike in the riparian areas of Snow Mtn Ranch. These two oaks are particularly striking in the fog.

By Cascadian Kim

The Cowiche Canyon is the crown jewel of the Yakima Valley!

By banana slug

By Bob Griffith

One of thousands of bitterroot plants seen on Cowiche Mountain.

By WaNative

I was too late for good landscape lighting on this hike, but the raging creek was a good backdrop for spring blooms.

By Barb Griffith

Balsamroot on Umtanum Ridge with the Yakima River and Roza Recreation parking lot below

By WaNative

Spring rain has pushed wildflowers to their peak at Snow Mtn Ranch.

By WaNative

Balsamroot, phlox, sagebrush violet all at their peak this week!

By Hikingqueen

Upland Trail was full of purple on this week!

By Jim Cummins

Grass widow wildflowers are plentiful now at Snow Mountain Ranch. There are some unusual colored grass widow flowers like the one in this photo. Sagebrush buttercup, yellow bells, several varieties of desert parsley (lomatium), and sagebrush violet are at their peak.

By juliestge

View from the ridge on Rattlesnake Dance Ridge, great view of snow capped mountain range from the dessert canyon

By WaNative

Looking toward Cleman Mtn from Oak Creek area

By jhiker

November is a great time to photograph bighorn sheep in the Oak Creek Wildlife Area near Naches WA. Although there is no official trail, I often hike Waterworks Canyon. There is a path for several miles in the botton or the canyon, but I climbed the hills to the west for this photo.

By Bellawhoop

The view from the Ginkgo Petrified Forest looking out over Lake Wanepum is beautiful!

By rubingrad

By jhiker

Photographed near the Yakima River below Selah Butte.

By Bob and Barb

We saw this bluebird couple on the Bluebird Canyon Trail at the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility. We were able to get many very fun pictures! This as our favorite!

By Jim Cummins

Simpson's cactus are just starting to bloom (May 13, 2011) in the Whiskey Dick Wildlife Area.

By Jim Cummins

For all practical purposes the grass widow bloom is over. Grass widow is one of the earliest blooming plants in this area. It was a challenge to find one in good enough condition to photograph. The yellow flowered Hookers balsamroot plants are just starting to bloom.

By Jim Cummins

Photo of one of the two plants of this species that was in bloom Sunday, April 10 in the Cowiche Canyon uplands (Scenic Drive) access. Sagebrush violets are at peak bloom and plentiful.

By Hikingqueen

Looking down on Yakima River