Wenas Wildlife Area — Attraction in Naches

WDFW Green Dot trails.  Free map from WDFW. Discovery Pass required. I started from Game Dept Rd. This is a very heavyly tire rutted road. Jeep with 35" tires worked best for me. This will turn into Ridge Rd. which is much better road. From Ridge Rd, I headed West to East. Incredible views. I dropped down into Dark Canyon via Dar Canyon Rd. It is a kool horse shoe loop. All the trees are black. They went thru a major fire some time back. This area is like a monument to that event. I then headed back up to Ridge Rd and continued east. Right on Kelley Hollow Rd then Right on Hessler flat Rd to exit the trail or I have taken Umtanum Ridge Rd to Bell Tel. Rd to Wenas Rd. Jeep with 35" tires worked best for me. Fuel up. Bring family, friends, food, snacks, water and spend the day exploring. The WDFW map is helpful. WiFi strong in spots. Satilite radio strong. See ya...

Wenas is a fantastic place for birding and botanizing, provided you visit at the right time, which in a typical early-2020’s year ranges from early May at about 2000 ft to early July at about 6000 ft. Too early and you’ll find snow and mud; too late and you’ll find brown weeds, dust, and hordes of ORVers. Also avoid holidays, unless you’re looking for hordes of ORVers, in which case Memorial Day and July 4 are perfect. It’s also nice along about the end of September, when the aspens and larches are in color. Wear orange, though, there’s...

Rough roads suitable for 4WDs only. Wildflowers bloom in the meadows and on the mountain sides. No other car shared our 180 minute trip on a Memorial weekend afternoon. Some shy deer wandered in the forest. It was slightly chilly as the sun was partially shining. From afar, the gate seemed closed but it's...