Hike Umptanum Creek Falls

By Heather Caro

With gas prices soaring, many families are canceling their vacation plans this year and opting instead to stay a little closer to home. Now is the perfect time to explore our Valley’s backyard with a “staycation” and a visit to Umptanum Creek Falls. This scenic two-mile round-trip hike is loaded with kid-friendly discoveries, such as animal life, creek crossings, and of course, the Falls themselves.

The well-traveled pathway follows Umptanum Creek, which is fairly easily negotiated but does include two crossings and a couple of steeper grades. However, our 6-year-old Madeline had no difficulty with the adventure and 2-year-old Teague enjoyed it as well, with a little help from Dad’s shoulders from time to time.

The trail ends at the top of a stunning panorama of the falls’ 40-foot drop into a basalt bowl. Though there are several paths down to the bottom of the falls where the views are more spectacular, less experienced hikers may wish to turn around here after enjoying the scenery.

• Heather Caro is an ICU nurse at Yakima Regional Hospital and a freelance journalist. With their two children, Heather and husband Chris recently moved back to the Yakima Valley after an extended leave.

How to Get There

From Selah: Head out of town on North Wenas Road and follow to the end of the pavement. From there, the well-marked trailhead and parking lot is an additional 8.5 miles on the right. The road is dirt and at times bumpy but should be no problem for the average car. Allow about 25 minutes for the drive.

From Naches: From Highway 12, turn north on Allan Road to the Naches-Wenas Road. Turn left on Longmire Lane. Turn left again on North Wenas Road. Follow above directions.