Last Sunday I headed east over to Dayton, WA. Middle of nowhere, oh right, everywhere around here is the middle of nowhere. The drive was lovely, just two lane road through sleep farm towns and newly planted fields. About 13 miles past Dayton on route 12 you make a right on to Tucannon River Road and go about 35 miles to its end. By end I mean a normal paved road, to a gravel road, to a dirt road that is actually a trail wide enough for one vehicle. I could barely get my little hatchback up. The drive in is though the Tucannon River Valley past more farms and a windmill farm on the ridge to the west. Kind of idilic really.
The trail is in the Ulmtilla National Forest which I doubted was actually a forest now that I live in the desert. Guess I’m becoming a bit jaided. This is an easy trail along the Tucannon River with a very gentle rise up the mountain, except when it’s early April and there is still snow on the ground. About 5 miles in the snow was up to my mid-thigh. After falling through the pack a few times I decided that it was time to turn back. This is a summer trail, should be passable in a month or so. Moisture abounds and there was moss and lichen everywhere. Really I felt like I was in some part of Vermont. There was a recent fire here. When you drive in most of the trees were decimated, but fortunately a contrast to the rest of the area. You have to be a little careful climbing over some of the fallen trees or you will find yourself covered in charcoal. I’ll be coming back here in a few months to get away from the summer heat of the Tri-Cities. Have a look at some photos.
