Wenas Audubon rd. Camping area
Directions: FROM I-90 in Ellensburg:
Take Exit #109 (signed Canyon Road, SR 821), and drive north on Canyon Rd. towards town. In about a half-mile, turn left (west), onto Umptanum Road, also called Damman Rd.. This road goes under I-90, crosses the Yakima River, passes some agricultural fields before heading up Shushuskin Canyon. At the top of the canyon, the pavement ends, and Umptanum Rd. becomes a (usually well maintained) gravel road. The name changes to Wenas Rd. at the county line, and the road continues over Manastash and Umptanum Ridges, and past part of the L. T. Murray Wildlife Recreation Area (WA Dept. of Game), about 15 miles from Ellensburg. Very soon after you come to blacktop road surface stop, turn right up the gravel road to the NW (your hard right onto Audubon Road). In 2.8, watch for a road to the left that crosses a bridge over Wenas Creek. After crossing the bridge, there is a large area for horse camping.
Directions: CHINOOK PASS, SR-410
Go over Chinook Pass on SR-410 or White Pass on US-12. Proceed east on US-12
through Naches. The highway will become divided immediately east of Naches; a
gray block warehouse (Allan Brothers Fruit) will be the first building you see
on your left. Turn left (north) here (milepost 191.2) onto Allan Road. Follow
Allan Road one mile to a stop sign at Old Naches
Highway. Proceed straight (north-the road name changes to Naches-Wenas Road) to
wind under a wooden viaduct and uphill. Descend the hill and bear to the left at
the bottom where the road name changes to Longmire Road.
Continue north on Longmire to a stop sign at the intersection with North Wenas Road. Turn left (west) and follow North Wenas Road for 9.5 miles. A cattle guard alerts you to the intersection of Maloy and Audubon Roads (both gravel) to your left. Turn onto the upper fork (Audubon Road). In 2.8 miles, watch for a road to the left that crosses a bridge over Wenas Creek.
FOR DETAILED OR TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS OF AREA:
You will need both Yakima and Kittitas County maps to cover the areas around
Wenas Creek. The campsite is located in Yakima County just below the Kittitas
County line, on acres owned by Boise-Cascade Corporation, private land.
Adjoining roads/ trails go on public land -- U.S. Forest Service Wenatchee NF,
WA Department of Fish & Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources and to the
University of Washington Astronomical Observatory on Manastash Ridge.
