Spent the night in Yakima so we were able to do this as a morning hike. What a beautiful day! We parked at the trailhead closest to bridge #1. There’s a honey bucket in the lot but I didn’t check it out.
We took the Lone Pine trail up, Radio Flyer and South Ridge for a look around the top, then down the steep and dusty Tieton Andesite trail. All trails are in good shape. I was glad to have boots and a pole for the downhill section.
Plenty of flowers but today it was all about the blue sky, sunshine and the perfect breeze.

Hiked from the West Trailhead 1.7 miles to junction with Winery Trail (unmarked except for a bare post, but well used) and up to saddle and vineyard of Wilridge Winery and a stop for water, bathroom and wine tasting. Picnic tables for lunches too.  Nice folks.  Then we went south and downhill on a trail that shows on several maps to rejoin the canyon trail, but that trail cuts through cliffs used by climbers and is not dog-friendly, so we just went cross-country down to the canyon trail.  Instead we should have returned on the winery trail.  More pix and details at - www.deetezellimountainstories.wordpress.com

It's springtime in the desert. The nicest time of year for hiking the area. I arrived at 2:00pm. It was a beautiful day. Sunny and a perfect 65 degrees. I hiked 2/3 of the Uplands Trail. Looped back on the Trail Breaker Trail to the Main Trail. The flowers were at their peak. Entire areas of hillsides covered with them in full bloom. I saw and heard Meadowlarks sing. You could see the top of Mount Rainier. Good views were to be had all along the trail of Cowiche Mountain, Mount Cleman, and the LT Murray Game Range off in the distance. There were no rattlesnakes! A great walk of about 3 miles. I only saw a few people my entire hike. Bring water, hat, and sunglasses as there is no shade.

Today we meandered the Cowiche Canyon Uplands for almost 4 hours starting at the Scenic TH. The best flowers were seen on the Jeep Road and the Trail Blazer Trail. Many flowers on the South Rim and East Uplands Trails were faded and past their prime ! Especially the grass widows! We saw one milk vetch plant, many narrow leaf onions, sagebrush violets, prairie stars, Hooker's Balsamroot, 2 Larkspur, gold stars and phlox. Thyme-leaf buckwheat were just starting to bloom!

After setting up camp at Big Pines CG, we hiked to Bridge 7 starting at the Weikel Road TH. Flowers are starting to bloom and the red osier dogwood and other plants are getting their leaves. Fern-leaf desert parsley, balsamroot, buttercups, death camas, prairie stars, serviceberry, golden currant and wax currant were some of the flowers seen. The purple Fern-leaf desert parsley was the most prevalent flower and will be beautiful when they are in full bloom! Many others were enjoying the beautiful day.