Whether you\u2019re adventuring with kiddos in tow or your favorite furry adventure buddy, snack and lunch stops are a must when you hit the trail \u2013 nobody likes a hangry hiker, am I right? But when your picnic spot comes with a great view, beautiful sounds of nature and a great zone for you and your crew to truly enjoy the moment you\u2019re all in \u2013 well, those gems can be hard to find without some good intel. So, I\u2019m here to bring you my favorite picnic spots on the trail in and around the Yakima Valley. My favorite, you ask? I honestly couldn\u2019t pick, but I will give you my two cents on the time of year I enjoy these trail spots most, as well as whether they\u2019re kid and family friendly, or whether they\u2019re best for those longer excursions spent with friends or furry companions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Mt.](\"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ClemanMountain-dw-700x448.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCleman Mountain \u2013 Naches, WA<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Trailhead:<\/strong> O\ufb00 of Highway 410, about 17 miles west of Yakima. Directions and information about this trail can be found here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Drive Time from Downtown Yakima: <\/strong>About 25 minutes\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trail Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Trail Description:<\/strong> There\nare a few ways you can hike this trail. I\u2019ll describe two of them here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trailhead: <\/strong>The route to Sheep Lake begins at the top of Chinook Pass and is part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Directions and information about this trail can be found here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Drive Time from Downtown Yakima:<\/strong> A little more than an hour<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trail Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Best Time to Go: <\/strong>Mid-July\nthrough fall (higher elevations and the mountain lake make it a perfect place\nto cool down on hot summer days)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trail Description:<\/strong> This is my absolute favorite hike to do with my oldest son (he is six now, but we started hiking this together when he was 4). I usually wait until the middle or end of July so that the bugs are calmed down and the wildflowers are out to embark on this adventure since it is way up in the mountains. There are picnic and rest spots aplenty at Sheep Lake, as well as places to camp if you want to make it an overnight trip. Swimming, wading or just getting your feet cooled o\ufb00 after a warm hike up are definitely recommended as well. If you\u2019re driving back toward Yakima after your excursion, stop by Whistlin\u2019 Jack\u2019s Outpost Lodge<\/a> for ice cream \u2014 the kids (and you!) will enjoy the sweet, post-hike treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trailhead<\/strong>: O\ufb00 of Bu\ufb00alo Road in Selah, which is just outside of Yakima proper. Directions and information about this trail can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Drive Time from Downtown Yakima: <\/strong>About 25 Minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trail Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Trail Description:<\/strong> I run\/hike this trail year-round (yes, it is AMAZING in the snow) and love it in every single season. Since you\u2019re gaining almost 1500 feet in around 2 miles, there are some steeper sections, but there are also a few sections along the way where the trail flattens out and gives you a chance to truly enjoy the wildlife and views around you. Once you reach the top of this hike, you\u2019ll find an old hitching post that has fallen over that you can sit on as well as a plethora of rocks that are the perfect place for a snack or a full-blown picnic overlooking the stunning canyon below. From the top, you\u2019ll see views of the Yakima River Canyon and Roza Dam as well as Selah and Yakima Valleys, with Cleman Mountain in the distance. This is a must-see for anyone visiting or even locals \u2013 but make sure to start early or wear sunscreen because there is no shade on this trail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cover photo by Bryan Daugherty other photos by Shannon Mahre<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Locals\u2019 favorite stops for adventure, views and perfect picnics By: Shannon Mahre, Yakima Valley outdoor adventure guide* Whether you\u2019re adventuring with kiddos in tow or your favorite furry adventure buddy, snack and lunch stops are a must when you hit the trail \u2013 nobody likes a hangry hiker, am I right? But when your picnic… View Article<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17084,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-outdoor-recreation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1018"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18125,"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1018\/revisions\/18125"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\n![\"Sheep](\"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/SheepLake2-dw-1-700x449.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSheep Lake \u2013 Chinook Pass<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n![\"Skyline](\"https:\/\/www.visityakima.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Skyline2-700x525.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSkyline Trail \u2013 Selah, WA<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n*Thank you to our guest contributor for her guide. Shannon Mahre is our favorite local outdoor guide and passionate adventurer. Check out her year-round outdoor adventure clinics, classes and retreats with Girls with Grit<\/a>. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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