Big Pines remains open but with limited services and amenities. Sites 13-29 will be managed as first come/first served this summer. Check Recreation.gov for updates or contact the local BLM office for more information.
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The gentle Yakima River winds for 27 miles through massive basalt cliffs and rolling desert hills between Ellensburg and Yakima, Washington. The Canyon offers excellent wildlife watching, plant viewing, fishing in a Blue Ribbon trout stream, family river rafting and camping.
The Bureau of Land Management administers over 9700 acres in the Yakima River Canyon area, including five developed river access sites. An overnight and day use fee is charged and reservations are accepted through www.recreation.gov. Hookups and potable water are not provided. The recreation sites are open year round, with the largest crowds filling the sites on hot summer weekends.
The Big Pines recreation site is BLM's largest recreation site in the Yakima River Canyon, and offers both overnight and day use amenities including picnic tables, fire rings, nearby dumpsters, vault toilets and a non-motorized river put in/takeout site. There are also several group campsites and several walk-in only campsites. The northern edge of the site is adjacent to undeveloped hiking trails on land managed by WA Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Dear Customers: Umtanum, Lmuma Creek and Roza campgrounds now have their own recreation.gov page! Please visit them to make reservations for these sites.
Big Pines remains open but with limited services and amenities. Sites 13-29 will be managed as first come/first served this summer. Check Recreation.gov for updates or contact the local BLM office for more information.
Campsites will only be held until checkout time (11am) the next day. If reservation holder doesn't show up by then, the site is released.
There are no hookup services and no potable water. Cellphone coverage is limited.
Be aware of rattlesnakes, bees and poison ivy.
The reservation system is only available from May 1 - Sept 15 of each year. After reservation season has ended, all camping and day use will need to use the self-serve fee payment station at each site.
Campsites are limited to 10 people and two vehicles per site.
The gentle Yakima River winds for 27 miles through massive basalt cliffs and rolling desert hills in the Yakima River Canyon of central Washington. Formed from the slow carving of the Yakima River through the enormous folds (anticlines) in the otherwise nearly "flat" basalt layers of the Columbia Basin, the Yakima River Canyon shelters a range of habitats, making home to a diverse mixture of Eastern Washington flora and fauna.
Bighorn sheep, elk and mule deer can often be spotted on the river’s banks, and the canyon’s sheer cliffs and crevices are home to the state’s densest concentration of nesting hawks, eagles and falcons. Over 200 species of birds use the Yakima Canyon for breeding and nesting, as a migration route or a winter residence. A thriving "Blue Ribbon" trout stream, the Yakima is managed for quality catch and release trout fishing, and anglers share the water with summer floaters and rafters. Access to the various recreation sites and river access points is easy, as State Route 821 parallels the river. This was the first highway in Washington to be designated a State Scenic Byway in 1968, and today's visitors enjoy the same scenic beauty as experienced by Native American tribes and settlers to the area.
The State Scenic Byway of Highway 821 follows the Yakima River through the canyon running between the cities of Ellensburg and Yakima, WA. Central Washington University, and Cowiche Canyon trails are nearby. 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.
The Yakima River Canyon is enjoyed all year, by people of all ages. Summers are crowded, with thousands of people floating the Yakima River. Visitors also enjoy camping, picnicking and motorized watercraft use in the half-mile long pool above Roza dam. During the quieter months of spring, fall and winter, popular activities include wildlife viewing, hiking, hunting and fishing.
BLM WENATCHEE FIELD OFFICE 915 WALLA WALLA AVENUE Wenatchee WA 98801
BLM Wenatchee Field Office 915 Walla Walla Avenue Wenatchee WA 98801
For campground inquiries, please call: 509-665-2100
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
From Seattle, take I-90 east to Ellensburg Exit 109 (Highway 821 Canyon Road). At the traffic circle, take the second exit onto South Canyon Road. Stay on the road, which will take you south through the Yakima River Canyon. Big Pines campground is located at milepost 9 on the Canyon Road.
Recreation.gov is your gateway to explore America's outdoor and cultural destinations in your zip code and across the country. We provide tools and tips to discover new adventures through a one-stop shop for inspiration and ideation, trip planning, information sharing, and reservations. Find incredible places and experiences that help you bring home a story through Recreation.gov!