Type of Hike
Day hike
We began our hike by crossing the suspension bridge across the Yakima River at the Umtanam Recreation Area. Shortly after the railroad tracks at an unsigned junction we went left from the main canyon trail to hopefully climb 2000 feet in 3 miles to Untanum Ridge. However, the many variety of birds, flowers, and butterflies slowed our pace so that we had to turn around 700 feet short of the ridge. We saw lazuli buntings, yellow-breasted chats, Cassin's finch, gold finch, phoebes, and towhees. Hyssop, yarrow, large-flowered collomia, linear leaf daisies, and a beautiful white flowering shrub we haven't identified yet were some of the flowers seen. The clouds helped to block the sun at times so with a light breeze, the heat was tolerable. It was a very enjoyable day! :)! We saw only 4 other people the entire 8 hours we were on the trail.
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