Check out my video for full report...

Was a nice day... trail was clear. There was a running event so bit congested the first half-mile or so and around the lot, but further out it was much more quiet. Lots of little spur trails that can make it difficult to find your way back without taking a wrong turn (spoiler alert for the video, we did just that).

Spring is definitely in the air.  Lots of little creatures running into the brush or for cover yet never did see what they were aside from a couple of squirrels.  Saw a glimpse of a few butterflies -- a beautiful monarch and some tiny blue.  Along with birdsong, it was a nice mid morning to afternoon leisure hike and with a short stop for a snack at what looked like a camping site along side the creek.  Saw two tents deep into the hike as well.

Stayed on the main trail for the most part and crossed the creek back and forth a few times to try other meandering little pathways.  Lost my way doing this so not too smart.  I kept my ear on the creek and that kept bringing me back to the main trail.  Lots of Spring overgrowth creeping into the trail so I imagine it might be difficult in the warmer months without getting scratched up. Light to medium rainfall started on the way back to the trailhead, but it was mostly was a cool, quiet day out there.

I arrived at the parking lot around 10:45 and it was pretty full. This was due to the fact that a search and rescue training session was underway and a boy scout troup was camping about 2 miles up the creek.

Until I met the boy scouts I had encountered one couple who proceeded me across the first stream crossing. They were ahead of me the entire way. I was hoping to find a sign which directed me to go no further. That was not the case. So after the 4th stream crossing, I hike a little further but the trail became pretty sketchy, so I stopped and ate lunch by the creek. 

The stream crossings were not difficult, but wearing waterproof boots and using hiking sticks helped.

I decided to turn back. On the way down there were a lot of hikers, a few who had hiked this trail previously, but no one was able to tell me whether there was a sign or not.

I have attached photos of three stream crossings and one aspen grove.

First and only warning: my hiking buddy did find a tick in her hair after this hike. Ticks are out people so be cognizant of that and be careful. 

Other than that... we once again headed East from Seattle to escape the rain. The I 90 pass in April is definitely touch and go but we got to the trailhead in two hours. Once there, we paid the $5.00 cash only parking fee because we realized my "America the Beautiful" pass that is also accepted there had expired. So we paid and crossed the bridge and went under the train tracks so follow a path that criss-crossed of a babbling creek almost like a wide double helix. There are many offshoots from the trail (uncertain as to whether its from human activity or game trails) but the real path was never terribly difficult to find.

Being in the canyon, we heard the calls of many hawks that seemed to echo off of the beautiful basalt walls on either side. It was incredible. We saw goats at the tops of the ridges as well. The fluffy white, rolling clouds in Central Washington were a welcome sight after the dark rain clouds that have frequented Seattle skies in the Spring time. 

We never got too wet from the creek crossings and we never got too dirty. Just another warning to watch out for ticks. It was a pleasant hike that inspired us to look into geology classes. After the hike, we wandered into Ellensburg for a burger. Check out the sweet town on your way in or on your way out. 

It was a wonderful day. 

Midweek was great to get to out of rainy Seattle to do this popular hike. It is still early for most flowers, but the Golden Currant was blooming right by the information sign. And nearby we saw Wax Currant in bloom with its pink trumpet flowers. Praire Star, Buttercups and Whitlow grass are scattered all around. Also, an apricot tree in full bloom, and Phlox.

We saw Pacific Slope Flycatchers, chickadees and lots of soaring raptors, vultures, Redtailed hawks and Harriers, in particular. It's a great birding spot.

We had a photocopy of relevant pages from Hiking Washington's Geology, and so we stopped for a study break, taking in the basalt columns and the sandstone. Our wonderment deepened as we realized we sitting on the bottom of the syncline--trough--and the Umtanum Ridge was the top of the anticline. 

We got a further clarification on the mysteries of the Yakima river when we stopped at the Beck monument south of Umtanum Recreation Area. Apparently the uplift making the ridges was slow and the meandering river eroded it gradually, without being displaced. 

The trail directions in the geology book talk about following the stream to a "y" but we turned around when the trail turned from turf to talus right up against the very eroded bank. It looked like lots of folks had walked over the loose rocks and settled it to some degree, but we didn't fancy crossing that twice so we turned around.

Everyone remarks on the social trails, and we, too, had to scout around to figure out the best places for stream crossings. Sometimes our trail choices were hit or miss, like when we got going through a thicket hoping it would take us through, but it devolved into something that a fox could use. Going through all that brush made me glad that it wasn't tick season.

We went back to Seattle admiring the blue skies and sunshine as we drove into clouds and rain, and then snow. It's like Alice's magic looking glass.