My 3 friends and my two puppies (lab mixes) and I set off for the east side of the mountains to see if we could get out of the Tacoma rain and find some sun. The trailhead was easy to find with Google Maps (Though this time of year, it was covered in thick snow and ice, so a four-wheeler is necessary. We drove my Subaru Outback and were fine). We arrived about 8am. The sky was cloudy and lightly snowing. The trail was completely covered in several inches, if not feet of snow. None of the landmarks described above were visible. We decided to hike anyway, as we are excited adventurers, determined and stubborn after 2 hours of driving to get there... It was certainly worth it! Though the trail was nothing like described during the fall, today it was beautiful like a winter wonderland. We did not have proper snow shoes or gear, but were able to hike quite easily along the trail in normal trail running shoes and a couple layers of clothing for about the first 2 miles (according to my Garmin GPS watch, which may have been inaccurate by a mile or less). No one got too cold. The puppies had a great time and stayed warm the whole way through. We did frequently sink into the snow all the way to our hips at times, but that just added to the fun of it all. Finally, we reached a crossroads where we could go right or left. We tried both but could not get more than a few feet either way. The left trail went straight up (a tough climb when the trail was hard to see and the snow slippery to climb) and then completely disappeared, so we could not go further. The right trail crossed over a stream but then the trail fell away into the canyon with only a precarious rope to swing oneself to the other side of the trail (which was possibly not even a trail), so we went no further that way. We turned around and went back. The whole jaunt took us about an hour and a half, though we were going at a very slow, careful pace, since we kept getting our legs caught deep in feet of snow. No one but us was on the trail the whole time and the snow was so pristine, so this trip during the winter was actually quite a magical beauty. At the cutoff, we got a view into the deep canyon and there was a partially frozen icicle waterfall running into it (SO magical!). Also, the stream was frozen over in some spots but not all. If you stood silent, you could hear nothing but the trickle of the stream. Keep in mind, we are young and fit people in our early twenties, and my two puppies regularly run over 20 miles per week with me, so even with the snow, it was an easy jaunt and a nice getaway.

Taken straight from the Bureau of Land Management website. The fee is now required every day of the year. America the Beautiful Pass can be used in lieu of fees. However, Discover Pass is NOT accepted, which I think I might’ve mistakenly used during our visit last year. Season Dates: 1/1 – 12/31 Fees: 1/01-12/31 $5 per vehicle daily use and $15 overnight for Umtanum, Lmuma Creek, Big Pines, and Roza sites. Just a few cars at the Umtanum Creek Canon Trailhead when pups and I arrived. After crossing the bridge and going under train tracks, we proceeded to follow our previous route by taking the left trail at the trailhead. I personal prefer having views of Yakima River Canyon east of the Umtanum Ridge, and we aimed for the easternmost point three miles up from the trailhead. Late morning’s low clouds began to lift just after we started, and by the time we got higher up on the slopes the views completely opened up. Terrain flattened out just before the geological survey marker amid a rock pile. From that point elevation gain became more gradual, and we started moved southeasterly getting around a couple of ribs before reaching our destination. There was a dirt road running through top of Umtanum Ridge. So if you’re lucky you might not see or hear off-roaders in the area. Lucky for us, we heard nothing but sounds of target shooting coming from the south side and could barely enjoy the views. But other than that, views were great! Originally I had planned on walking the road westerly for a bit before dropping back down to the canyon. But as soon as we started walking I spotted a four-wheeler a mile away, so I changed my mind and summoned the pups to start heading down.

Fall color at Umtanum Canyon is at its peak this weekend. It should be good for another week or so as Cottonwood trees still have a ways to go before peaking. Aspen, sumac and red osier dogwood are quite colorful. Lots of hikers including kids, just a few upland bird hunters.

The Cottonwoods and the Aspen are at peak fall color now. This hike is only a couple miles long so I coupled it with Rattlesnake Dance and Umtanum Falls for an excellent fall color experience. On the return trip we crossed to the north side of the creek where there is a well worn but less used path. My wife shrieked when she almost stepped on what she thought was a rattlesnake. Fortunately it was only a Gopher Snake.

Fall colors are great right now. There are lots of offshoots but just keep walking, there's more than one good route.