2 Central Washington day trips for photography, nature lovers

EPHRATA — Since moving back to the Pacific Northwest, my wife and I have rekindled our love of photography and have regularly made it a point to go on various adventures in and around the Columbia Basin to play with our cameras and explore. 

The three trips below are easy day trips that have become some of our favorites. Each can be done in a day and offers a variety of stops to take in scenery, eat some good food and enjoy the natural beauty of Central Washington. 

White Pass Scenic Byway

Travel to Yakima and take State Route 12 west, then swing a left just past Naches, you’ll find yourself on the White Pass Scenic Byway.

Near the start of the Byway are several opportunities to get out of the car, sling a camera or pair of binoculars over your shoulder and enjoy nature. The Oak Creek Big Horn Sheep Feeding Station, Water Works Canyon Trailhead and Oak Creek Wildlife Area are all right there.

Along the byway, SR 12 follows the Tieton River and passes by Rimrock Lake, Dog Lake, Leech Lake and Knuppenburg Lake. Clear Lake is a short drive off the highway and offers a great chance for hiking and photography as well.

If photography isn’t your thing, there are also plenty of places for camping for those not in a rush to get home. Fishing spots along the Tieton River and at all the lakes are plentiful as well. 

On day trips, my wife and I have found ourselves ending the day in the small town of Packwood, a little way past the White Pass Ski Area. The food is good and includes gluten-free options, and children can work off energy at the arcade most days unless the arcade/party room is booked. 

Whether you’re going to or returning, there are several scenic overlooks of the Cascades, including Mount Rainier National Park as you travel SR 12. 

Just pass the tunnel by Tieton Dam, there is a turnoff for the Tieton Dam Historical Marker along with several other places to turn off to appreciate the view with an overlook of Rimrock Lake. The Clear Creek Falls Overlook, Mount Rainier Goat Rocks observation site, Lava Falls viewpoint, Palisades viewpoint and several campgrounds all offer places to stop and enjoy nature. Some may require a Discover Pass, so pay attention to the signage at each location. 

Trailheads for those who want to do a bit of hiking are plentiful along the White Pass Scenic Byway. The Tieton Nature Trail has multiple access points along the start of the byway. Bear Canyon Trailhead, the Willows, Hause Creek and Indian Creek campgrounds, Sand Ridge Trailhead, Dog Lake Campground and Pacific Crest Trail — White Pass North Trailhead all offer hiking opportunities right off the road. 

U.S. Hwy. 2

If you leave Ephrata heading northwest on Sagebrush Flats Road, you’ll see a bit of the Columbia Basin that most people skip by going north on State Route 17 through Soap Lake. 

Along the way there are various coulees and plenty of places to pull over to get photos and take in the view. The area surrounding Moses Coulee and Beezley Hills Preserves is particularly pretty and offers opportunities to get photos of rock formations and waterfalls along the cliff faces in the area. 

Swing left once you get to U.S. 2 and the highway will take you into a patchwork of farmland. The crops in the area are pretty, but wintertime is when this portion of the trip really shines — literally. When the fields are covered with snow, travelers can see the foothills of the Cascades roughly from Entiat to Sunnyslope along the Columbia River. Birds of prey and a variety of wildlife will sometimes show their faces. 

Waterville lies along U.S. 2 and offers some classic architecture to take photos of, including the Douglas County Courthouse at the intersection of South Rainier and East Walnut streets. Small boutiques and restaurants offer a chance for a break from driving and taking photos.

One of the most beautiful parts of this trip is the downhill drive to get through Corbaley Canyon above Orondo. The hills in wintertime are covered with snow, but during the spring and summer are green and you can often find deer and other wildlife along the hills if you look for them. The hill ends by the Martin Family Orchards, a local business that can be a fun stop. 

The return trip routes travelers through East Wenatchee, which can double up as an opportunity to get some shopping done along the way home.

    A bit of fog peeks through the trees and shrouds mountaintops in the Cascades along the White Pass Scenic Byway. Multiple trailheads and places to pull over and enjoy the scenery make the route particularly appealing to those who enjoy watching wildlife or using a camera.
  

    Just above the Rimrock Dam are several places where people can pull off and enjoy the view of the mountains from a high altitude.
  

    A winter view of the fields before entering Waterville while traveling from east to west on U.S. Hwy. 2. Along the way, it is common to see various raptors hunting while flying over the fields during winter or summer.
  

    A waterfall in the Moses Coulee area north of Ephrata. The waterfall pours over some of the Columbia Basin’s well-known basalt rock formations.