A number of entries ago I wrote about the beautiful Yakima Canyon and the many camping opportunities offered by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). Now that summer has officially arrived, there is one more family fun activity I would like to share.
Each summer, the Yakima River becomes a virtual byway with young and old taking to inner tubes and enjoying a lazy float down river. On a warm sunny summer weekend, you will find dozens, sometimes hundreds or maybe even thousands of people basking on tubes and rafts soaking in the sun at the pace of the river’s gentle flow.
It’s a quiet and inexpensive way to recreate for a few hours. Best of all, you can launch or end your journey from your RV. The most popular floating route (and safest) involves putting in at Umtanum Creek Recreation Area and taking out at the Roza Recreation Site (both sites offer camping). The trip between the two is roughly eight miles and will take three to four hours to float. There are several operators that provide shuttle service if you don’t have a second vehicle to get from one end to the other. Camping is only $15 per night making this a low cost, family fun adventure in RVing!
PS. Don’t forget your personal floatation device. They are required by law and will make sure you have a safe, fun-filled adventure.
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
Leave a Reply