I took an afternoon walk in Cowiche Canyon from the west end on this mostly cloudy, showery day.  I walked a ways up the Lone Pine Trail to get a view of the canyon, then walked out to bridge 4 & back.  As you can see from Bob & Barb's photos from yesterday & those here, the canyon is at its peak right now.  It should be good for a week or so.

We began our hike at the Weikle Road TH and walked to just beyond the aspen grove at the Eastern entrance of the Canyon.  Fall colors are beautiful in the Canyon and the aspen grove seems to be at its peak color. There was only a truck with a horse trailer in the parking lot when we arrived a little after 11:00. We saw a total of 9 horses and their riders today: a group of 5 and 2 groups of 2. There were several hikers and 2 bikers. The sumac at the Western entrance have lost most of their leaves, but those near the aspen grove are still in full color and add to the beauty of the area. We saw an otter swimming under bridge #4, but it didn't stay long enough for a picture! We had lunch by the creek along the Bypass Trail to bridge 11 in a spot we found last fall. There are nice rocks for a seat and water birch trees surround us. 

I took an afternoon walk in Cowiche Canyon from the west end on this mildly cool afternoon.  I walked down to bench beyond bridge 5 and back.  The red-osier dogwood is red and the willows are yellow and the water birch are starting to turn.  There is still quite a bit of green in the trees, but it's really nice in here right now and will only get better over the next couple of weeks.

Cowiche Canyon was awash in fall colors when we hiked it on October 2nd. Some leaves hadn't yet turned, so I expect it will continue to put on a show for a few more weeks. It's a gorgeous fall hike, and the wide gravel path through the canyon is in good shape and easy to navigate. We saw a number of other hikers and joggers out on the trail, but only three mountain bikers. There were signs that horses had recently visited, although we didn't encounter any.

We also took the trail to Wilridge Winery. This path is fairly steep, and the loose dirt can be slippery, so use care. The views expand as you climb the trail, leaving behind the lush valley around Cowiche Creek. The winery lies just over the ridge, surrounded by vineyards. If you're heading there, look for a sign in the vineyard pointing the way to the tasting rooms, where there is a large, open lawn with outdoor seating. Dogs on leash and children are welcome.

All in all, the walk through Cowiche Canyon is a great easy hike, ideal for fall when the temperatures are mild and the colors are brilliant. For those who can make the uphill trek, adding on a side trip to the winery is well worth it, even if you just want to experience the changing scenery.

For a full review and many more photos, please visit the website linked below.

If you’re looking for wide open spaces, bluish, cloudy skies, long strides on miles of mix n match trails to choose from, the Cowiche Canyon Conservatory is the place. Since it was a clear day in the valley, and probably temporarily (due to active Schneider Creek fire and visible smoke billows toward Naches | Highway 410 | Chinook Pass), I headed up to enjoy the unique lands of the shrub steppe. Thank you for those who work and maintain and care of these precious conservatory lands. It shows. And it’s appreciated. 

I chose the South Rim | Radio Flyer | Old Jeep Road combo for about a 6 mile trek and it felt great stretching the legs after alpine lake hiking for most of the summer. As usual there is an abundance of wild sage and fall colors are peaking through on the winding, rocky trails. I chose not to head up to the winery trails today but knew the gorgeous fruit is ripe and being harvested from afar for the next several weeks. 

Tip: This could be a very cool all day adventure for out-of-towners. Mix n match hikes, trekking up to a winery, then a nice steak dinner with local wine in downtown Yakima at Cowiche Canyon Restaurant. Ample Yakima hops micro brews, too. Can’t beat it!