A couple of weeks ago we reviewed the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campgrounds located in the scenic Yakima River Canyon. If you enjoy scenic hikes, you will want to include a visit to Umtanum Campground which provides access to the west side of the Yakima River and miles of state wildlife land. This area is very popular in the spring when the flowers bloom and temperatures are comfortable. In fact, it is one of the few trails available in the area as higher trails are still covered in snow. For your first excursion you should check out the Umtanum Creek Canyon Trail which follows the year-round Umtanum Creek. Due to the year-round water source, the valley through which the creek flows abounds with wildlife and a variety of fauna. You are likely to see big horn sheep, deer, raptors and a host of other critters. Beaver and muskrat dams obstruct the creek in numerous places while shady groves along the creek invite picnickers or backpackers looking for an idyllic place to pitch a tent for the evening. RVers, like you and I can spend a day leisurely walking upstream, enjoy a packed lunch and then work our way back to the RV in the campground for a campfire and dinner. Oh! I would be amiss not to mention the swaying suspension bridge you cross to gain access to the trails.
You have just over a week to enjoy this RV adventure for free as the Umtanum Campground doesn’t begin charging camping fees until May 15th.
Scenic camping, an adventurous hike and a swaying suspension bridge, all for free, that is my kind of adventure in RVing!
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.
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