We did a short hike on the south side of the creek. Conditions were near perfect with mild temperatures and partial sun. Trail on the north side of the creek can be reached by a creek ford or using the rail road bridge near the beginning of the hike. Lots of flowering plants including Balsam Root, Apple Tree, Phlox, Lupine and Oregon Grape were in bloom. The only note of caution, rattle snakes were also out. We saw two which were more afraid or us than wee of them. As temperatures increase more of these critters will be out so tread with some eyes on the ground. Creek and Yakima river are running high, many crossings which can be done easily in low water are ankle or thigh deep. There is lots of evidence of Beavers at work but we did not see any.

A fun day of hiking. Beautiful weather, but the snakes were out. We saw 4, but only one was a rattler. The flowers were n bloom and very pretty.

“’What makes the desert beautiful,’ said the prince ‘is that somewhere it hides a well.’” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery Yakima Canyon feels like such an unknown gem in this great Pacific Northwest. With its monolith of dirt rising in multitude and vast stretches of calming aridity, it evokes a sense of otherworldliness so strange in its grandeur, and so pleasant in its wonder. Umtanum Creek Canyon was not necessarily the proverbial “well” mentioned with great symbolism right above, but it felt like it somewhat. A beauty that stands on its own, buried among a throng of nonsense, sauntering along its rocky spine is an adventure meriting an overnight trip. Many sections on this trail are tight with shrubbery and small tree branches breaching the path’s real estate, and several areas are somewhat washed out by the creek which can be difficult for folks that hike with more than one dog. The tread is rocky in parts, and the rest is fairly sandy so I recommend donning freakishly comfortable shoes. Buds are dotting the greenery with striking colors that I assume will bloom like fireworks in the next week or two. In fact, balsamroot, prairie stars, and phloxes (I believe they're called), are now loud in their presence. The apple blossoms are still enclosed like candies, but they're alive and brimming with promises of fecundity. I can sense that a rough winter had pelted this landscape given that many of the plants appear traumatized. Still, life here is blossoming, to quote Christopher Fry, into hysteria. The night is frigid and dry. Wear layers and a hat. Happy trails!

Trickly Umtanum Creek is a raging river after the winter rains. Evidence of the creek overflowing its banks is everywhere. All of last year's log bridges and beaver dams are washed away. If you keep the creek on your left from the trailhead, no creek crossings are necessary until about the 2-mile point. There the water is pretty fast but a motivated person could ford it. We decided not to bother. Pretty quiet in the canyon except for the creek. A clump of newly felled saplings showed evidence of beaver home repair, and a beaver crossed the trail in front of us. We saw a pair of harriers and a pair of golden eagles and heard lots of canyon wrens. Along Canyon Road near the junction is a proud osprey pair very visible on the nest.