Did you know most of the Tri-Cities area was under hundreds of feet of water about 13,000 years ago? Badger Mountain was a small island in a giant, turbulent lake called Lake Lewis. That is the theory first hatched by Harlan Bretz in the 1920’s. This idea was initially dismissed as hairbrained but later gained …
I haven’t seen any slithery creatures this year because I usually hike early in the morning but my wife reports there were at least two snake sightings on Badger Mountain the other day. Most snakes are non-venomous but rattlesnakes with poisonous fangs are out there too. Safety measures for hiking in snake country: Hike during the cooler part of …
If you’d like to increase the intensity of your workout from hiking or walking around the Columbia Basin, there are plenty of opportunities. You can check out the Three Rivers Road Runners site here for more events. The most recent was the Righteous Richland sprint triathlon last weekend. Nearly 200 people braved the 61 degree …
No, unfortunately Rattlesnake Mountain is not yet open to the public but I took a nice morning hike up the hill to the east of Rattlesnake. The last time I hiked on the Rattlesnake Preserve, I spotted 2 snakes including a fairly large rattler so I was watching every step of the way. I went …
I spotted this geological feature when I was on top of the Wallula Gap Hike. I knew the Twin Sisters would be neat to see up close so I finally took a short drive and an easy hike to see some exquisite examples of our channeled scablands area. It’s a pretty easy hike and access …
Hi Paul, just wondering if the gap hike is any “snakier” than the rest of the hiking areas…A friend & I are kind of spooked after some comments from my husband saying it’s a pretty notorious place for “buzztails.” Would appreciate your take on this.Thank you, Linda Linda, I don’t think it is any …
There’s a great place in town for dog owners who like to let their canines run free. With leashes required on Badger Mountain, most other area hiking areas and parks, the “Paws Abilities” dog park is an open area where dogs can get some serious exercise. Directions to the City of Richland Off-Leash Dog Park: …
Its my favorite desert wildflower and its making a limited-time appearance on trails around the Columbia Basin. I spotted the first one the other day coming down the Sagebrush Trail on Badger Mountain. Before I got to the bottom of the hill, I had seen several more. They are such a beautiful flower! Their blue/purple/lavender …
Not my idea of a hike but 1.3 miles in the yard mowing the rain nourished lawn is finally done! Picture is GPS tracing, too geeky?
The Recent rainy days left me frustrated by keeping me inside. I decided I wasn’t going to let a little moisture get in my way of getting outdoors. I headed for Badger Mountain because my wife had been up there with a friend earlier in the day and said she saw a beautiful, colorful bush. …