The seasons are turning and the morning air is crisp and clear in the Wenatchee watershed. This is the week of the Autumn Equinox and the time of transition for mammals of all sorts, including people. As the days grow shorter, we all need to refill our Nature Prescription to recharge our curiosity, trigger new learning, and stoke our spirits. I invite you to check out the Wenatchee Naturalist fall news that is filled with easy ways to strengthen your connection to our watershed. At the end of this blog, you’ll find a long list of places to visit, even if you have just an hour or two to get out.
In the high country, mule deer are feeding on the fading leaves of shrubs and wildflowers, building fat reserves for the coming winter.
Mountain Goats are still feeding on low-growing plants in the high country, but soon, snow cover will push them down into lower elevations.
Maybe this fall, you can carve out a few hours to visit a habitat close to home where you can get a glimpse of wildlife. Here’s a short list of places to within an hour of Wenatchee:
Good places to visit in the Wenatchee Valley include:
- Douglas County sections of the Apple Capital loop trail. Try the Potter’s Pond area near 19th Street trailhead or the Coyote Dunes Natural Area sand dunes just south of the Odabashian Bridge south to the 27th NW. trailhead.
- The Chelan County section of the Apple Capital loop trail has excellent waterfowl habitat at the Walla Walla Park swimming lagoon. Walk north along the river into the cottonwood-lined dirt path of the Horan Nature Area. Note- one loop of the Horan Nature Area is under winter season closure, but one loop walking path is open year-round.
- Chelan-Douglas Land Trust Jacobson Preserve on Skyline Drive. CDLT asks users to not walk the trail in muddy conditions. Trail open year-round.
- City of Wenatchee Saddle Rock Park. This south-facing slope is typically accessible year-round without mud issues. A nice Douglas-fir and Ponderosa pine forest can be reached within a 10-minute walk of the trailhead. Trails open year-round.
- Dry Gulch Preserve. Users are asked to stay on existing trails (open year-round). Much of this area is restored after mining, but the hillsides have intact shrub-steppe habitat.
Good places to visit in the Leavenworth area include:
- The cross-country ski trails at Ski Hill on Titus Road.
- City of Leavenworth Enchantment Park, Blackbird Island & the grounds of the Wenatchee River Institute, all along the Wenatchee River. Open year-round.
- Leavenworth Fish Hatchery walking trails along Icicle Creek (snowshoe & ski trails during winter). Parking is free at the fish hatchery headquarters.
- A section of the Icicle Ridge Trail from Icicle Road. USFS trailhead parking pass required
Good places to visit in the Cashmere area include:
- Consider walking sections of public roads up Yaksum or Hay Canyon and observe adjoining hillsides that support native vegetation.
- The Juvenile Pond (Between Hwy 2 & the Wenatchee River, along NW side of Aplets Bridge or the Mill Pond, on Mill Road off Sunset Highway, or the Cashmere Sewage treatment ponds on Riverfront Drive (inquire with the city about access).
- USFS trails up Mission Creek, included Devil’s Gulch and Sand Creek trailheads. USFS trailhead parking pass required.
- Wenatchee River waterfront at “Rodeo Hole.” Take the dirt road adjacent to 7444 Stine Hill mailboxes, leading down to Riemann River Ranch. Turn left before the posts to the public parking lot. There is a trail that leads to the river. Be careful, poison oak present.
- Peshastin Pinnacles State Park (Discovery Pass required). During winter seasonal closure, you can park along the county road and walk into the park. Be careful- poison oak present.