By:
Submission
https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/250985?tab=seasons
The gentle Yakima River winds for 27 miles through massive basalt cliffs and rolling desert hills between Ellensburg and Yakima, Washington. This area is popular for wildlife viewing, fishing, and floating the river.
The Yakima River Canyon is a popular destination for plant and wildlife viewing, including bighorn sheep, various birds of prey, and mule deer. This section of the river is classified as a Blue Ribbon trout stream, but is catch and release only. One of the most popular summer activities is floating the river, which is a family friendly Class 1 river with no rapids. Rafters often put in at Umtanum and take out at Roza.
All four BLM-managed recreation sites offer picnic tables, fire rings, nearby dumpsters and vault toilets. Hookups and potable water are not provided. Big Pines campground is where the majority of the campsites are located, and contains two group campsites. Umtanum, Lmuma Creek, and Roza also offer campsites. Umtanum and Roza receive high day-use visitation during the summer months. Roza offers a concrete boat launch. Motorboats are prohibited upstream from Roza.
Within the Yakima River Canyon Campgrounds there are four developed Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sites with river access: Umtanum, Lmuma Creek, Big Pines, and Roza. Visitors have the opportunity to explore the massive basalt cliffs, rolling desert hills, riparian vegetation, and the cool water of the Yakima River.
The cities of Ellensburg and Yakima, Central Washington University, and Cowiche Canyon trails are near by. Umtanum recreation site offers a footbridge to cross the Yakima River and access to Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Lands on the west side of the river.
Located along the Washington State Scenic Byway of Highway 821 between the cities of Ellensburg and Yakima: Umtanum will be near Mile Post 16, Lmuma Creek will be near Mile Post 12, Big Pines will be near Mile Post 8, and Roza near Mile Post 7.
We could’ve done without this experience. I should be more clear the raft ride/tubing down the Yakima river was terrifying. We definitely could have been more informed on how important safety was going to be.. They made it sound like life jackets were optional and I think they should be mandatory. I seen countless people not wearing them. In our group we had six of us and three of us flipped over at different times and I felt like I was seriously going to drown and I had a life jacket on. When my daughter flipped over at two separate times I thought I was gonna lose my daughter. Very helpless feeling. The current was crazy and I got caught up in some trees or branches on the side by some rocks. I am amazed at the people who didn’t wear life jackets. I literally think they were under the influence of alcohol and that is the only explanation I can come up with to why they wouldn’t wear one. Otherwise the river was pretty and the scenery. Its just a very fast moving river and it’s very deceiving the pull that it has beneath the surface. It’s beyond me why there’s not signage up and warnings all over. They just seem to downplay the people that have died and how dangerous it could be. I would’ve thought twice about going in that river if I would’ve been warned of the dangers. But we all learn the hard way and I will never make that mistake again!
Such a great place for camping fishing partying floating the river and a rest with bathrooms!!
We took a guided river tour. It was a wonderful way to see the canyon!
Love goin here and rock hounding so many spots to explore omg it's a rock hounds paradise and if your up for a hike they have plenty of spots to do so and some hike even lead to some pretty amazing views and petrified wood spots
