Snow Mountain Ranch — Attraction in Tieton

Visited Snow Mountain Ranch Trailhead Tuesday 2/1/2022 to check out Cowiche Mountain Loop. Arrived at 3:55am no one else in the big parking area. No parking Fee required. Trashcan at TH (trailhead). Information Kiosk at TH. No bathrooms at TH, but there is a porta potty available creekside (South Fork Cowiche Creek) about 799ft from parking area on the Entry Trail.

Parking Area is gravel.

No Handicap parking, not wheelchair accessible.

Seems like a high theft area as there were a lot of signs saying not to leave valuables in vehicles and that parking area is being recorded.

Roads were bare, paved and dry, temperature at TH 26 degrees at 3:55am. High temp for the day 41 degrees. Snow plowed around fencing of parking area.

Hiked .02 miles on Entry Trail to Riparian East Trail for .08 miles, to Cowiche Mountain East Trail for 1.2 miles (snowshoes required) then off trail for .09 miles (snowshoes required) to Bench Trail, on Bench Trail for .06 miles (hard pack snow in tracks) to Wildflower Trail, on Wildflower Trail for .09 miles (hard pack snow in tracks) to Balanced Rock Trail, on Balanced Rock Trail for 252ft to Cowiche Mountain West Trail, on Cowiche Mountain West Trail for .02 miles to Entry Trail, on Entry Trail for .02 miles back to parked safe & sound vehicle.

Great for young children.

Snow & Ice on trail. Microspikes required for lower elevation hiking. Snowshoes required for Elevation hiking (postholed over ankle deep .08 miles from the trail junction of Cowiche Mountain East Trail/ Bench Trail. Lost the minimal tracks that were on trail, maybe .04 miles in , Made it .06 miles before snow became too deep and there were just my tracks and big game tracks, staying on trail became a chore and I was on time restraints. I cut (off trail) across at .06 miles to the Bench Trail .03miles).

Majority of trail no shade.

Heard coyotes howling, owls hooting and dogs barking before Sunrise 🌄. After Sunrise I could hear some city noises.

Sunrise was absolutely gorgeous!!

Definitely will be back to complete the big loop and summit...

A great place to "choose your own hike." There are many trails that connect to each other. Theres a Creek with trees. So, if you want to to a short hike in a shaded area, you can.

I climbed all the way up to Cowiche Canyon Summit. It was rough but worth it!! I took the east trail up and the west trail down. Apparently thats the easiest way up. The west trail is pretty steep.

There were quite a lot of wildflowers on the east trail. More than the Wildflower Trail.

Bring plenty of water and poles/hiking stick! There is NO shade on the higher traiis.

Be wary of rattlesnakes. I didnt encounter any, only...

one of my favorite places in yakima to take our dogs.

visibility is good so it’s a nice place to practice voice command with the pups. it’s beautiful and remote and there are generally pretty few people on most days. we’ve biked here, hiked here, and picnicked here. never a dull moment. during the summer months, the sunsets are unreal. fair warning: this is the most likely place to see a coyote, an elk, deer… so watch out if you’re...