Here's who shouldn't be reading this:
All you hikers, bicyclists, volkswalkers, runners, backpackers and speed walkers.
Those of you left -- couch potatoes, all -- this story's for you.
That's because this is all about driving. Not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, it can be beautiful, especially if you take one of the great summer drives from Yakima.
Central Washington is blessed with gorgeous scenery in all directions, so consider this an invitation to get out in the great outdoors ... only without really having to get out in it.
With staycations becoming increasingly more common, several Yakima folks have proposed five car trips that can easily be made in a day from here, all with interesting features.
Many of these drives offer side jaunts, such as swimming, picking huckleberries or investigating restaurants and wineries, but we'll leave those options for the adventurous and mainly hit just highlights.
* 'THE
GORGE-OUS LOOP'
The first trip is "The Gorge-ous Loop," as in the Columbia Gorge. It's actually a semi-loop, south through Goldendale, then west along the Columbia Gorge, up through White Salmon and Trout lake, then along the Klickitat Canyon back to Goldendale.
You'll see ancient petroglyphs left for generations hence to ponder, drop-dead views of two mountains, dazzling wildflowers, a lush garden and museum and grip-your-knuckles turns on zigzagging roads.
As Portia Sherrard in the Yakima office of AAA of Washington, the travel organization, said of this trip, "It's always worthwhile."
So start out east of Yakima on Highway 97, following it south at Toppenish. As you travel through the YAKAMA INDIAN RESERVATION, watch for wild horses grazing along the hills. Then sage lands gently give way to conifers, gullies and rock formations.
GOLDENDALE is at once a pastoral sight of buttery wheat fields framed by MOUNT ADAMS and a futuristic panorama of immense gooney birds dancing in the wind. Those structures, hundreds upon hundreds, seemingly more every time you pass, are giant turbines, turning wind into power.
From there, take Highway 97 farther south, turning east on State Route 14 for a stop at STONEHENGE, fashioned after the original monument in England. The Washington version was meant as a peace message, commemorating local men killed in World War I.
On a recent, sultry day, Amanda and Jon James of Spokane stopped at the monument to show their children, 8-year-old Parker and 3-year-old Phoebe.
"We've never been here before; it's really awesome," said Amanda James. "It's cool to get this close because we probably won't ever get to the original one."
Back to Route 14, go west three miles. Suddenly, there's MARYHILL MUSEUM OF ART, an unexpected gem in a stunning spot along the COLUMBIA RIVER. Even if you don't go in (and you should, said Sherrard, because of its diverse collection), a stroll around the gardens is lovely, with resident peacocks strutting among the showy orange globe mallow, Oregon grape and day lilies.
The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through
Nov. 15.
Farther west, as MOUNT HOOD holds a striking pose, you come upon COLUMBIA HILLS STATE PARK, where SHE WHO WATCHES lives. That's an ancient, 4-foot tall petroglyph, or stone etching, in its original spot above the river. Sacred to Native Americans, it's being protected from vandalism, and is no longer accessible unless you take a guided tour.
But that's the rub. Tours, lasting 90 minutes, are given only at 10 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, April through October, and must be reserved at least three weeks in advance, noted Ranger Rich Davis.
"I'm biased, but if people have an interest in PETROGLYPHS, they certainly would enjoy the tour," Davis said.
If a tour isn't an option, all still is not lost. There are 41 other carved images -- owls, cats, rams, crabs, perhaps -- on rocks that have been moved from other sites along the river and placed near the parking lot for visitors to see.
The park is open daily 6:30 a.m. to dusk until Oct. 26. For tour reservations, call 509-767-1159.
A leisurely drive, continuing to the west, affords beautiful vistas of the river, and near LYLE, colorful windsurfers -- or even stand-up paddle boarders -- may skim by.
If salmon are in season, or even if they're not, it's worth a detour up Highway 142 from Lyle, stopping in two miles at the FISHER HILL BRIDGE, which offers a superb view of the deep KLICKITAT RIVER GORGE where YAKAMAS might be fishing with their dip nets.
Back to Route 14, going west, turn north onto Highway 141 at BINGEN, up to TROUT LAKE, which juts out from beneath Mount Adams like a village in the Alps.
From there, head east on Highway 141 until you reach the dramatic KLICKITAT CANYON. You'll know it when you're there.
As Helen Peterson of Yakima noted, "The canyon is absolutely gorgeous, but you can't take your eyes off the road."
So don't. But maybe you could stop at a pullout and gaze down at the ribbon-thin KLICKITAT RIVER below.
Near BLOCKHOUSE, a bend in the road, join Highway 142 east back to Goldendale. Once there, you might venture north to GOLDENDALE OBSERVATORY STATE PARK, a short detour from the main road.
Sitting at a 2,100-foot elevation, the park allows public access to its huge telescope, a treat for any age. Hours through September are Wednesday through Sunday, 2 to 5 p.m. and again 8 p.m. to midnight.
From there it's back to Highway 97 south, then west to Yakima. The drive covers about 250 miles and takes about five hours, not counting side trips.
But don't stop there. Four other drives have been nominated for your leisure.
* 'THE
LAKE DRIVE'
Mike Rowan of the Naches Ranger Station thinks it's hard to top the loop trip to the shimmering Lake Tipsoo in Mount Rainier National Park.
"That's a really nice drive, absolutely gorgeous," Rowan said.
It's also a triple bypass, venturing from Chinook to Cayuse to White passes. Take Highway 12 west to NACHES, then at the Y in the road just out of town, continue straight onto Highway 410.
The view alone of MOUNT RAINIER reflected in LAKE TIPSOO is worth the drive, according to Rowan. Add to that wildflowers blanketing the meadow and wisps of snow dotting the hills.
CHINOOK PASS turns into CAYUSE, Road 123, which joins WHITE PASS, Highway 12, just outside the park and then back to Yakima. The trip takes about three hours, covering some 150 miles.
*'TO THE FALLS DRIVE'
Sherrard of AAA recommends a trek to PALOUSE FALLS STATE PARK in Eastern Washington, about 20 miles southeast of Washtucna. "It's a great drive and a beautiful waterfall," she said.
Take Interstate 82 east to Highway 12 east, just after KIONA. Once you cross the SNAKE RIVER, take Highway 124 east, to LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL STATE PARK, a good picnic stop. Then it's up to WAITSBURG, where the road soon becomes Highway 12 again, going north. You travel east once more at Road 261 in PATAHA, up to the falls.
Sherrard mentioned that interesting county seat buildings dot the way, as well as a mill in Pataha that might be worth a stop. The round trip takes about eight hours and covers some 350 miles.
As for the falls themselves, the PALOUSE RIVER plunges nearly 200 feet into a emerald pool, surrounded by cathedral-like basalt spires.
* 'WIND AND
WOOD DRIVE'
David Helseth of Yakima enjoys the relatively short route to WILD HORSE WIND FARM, 16 miles east of Ellensburg. While wind turbines are clearly the biggest stars at the farm, Helseth most appreciates the visitors center. "It's excellent," he said, noting that exhibits about wind energy are particularly educational.
Take Interstate 82 north, merging onto eastbound Interstate 90 near ELLENSBURG. From exit 115, turn left to KITTITAS. At the T intersection, turn right onto Partrick Avenue. Turn left at 81 Road, then turn right at Vantage Highway.
The drive takes two hours round trip and covers 100 miles.
But, since you're so close, don't pass up GINKGO PETRIFIED FOREST STATE PARK. That's slightly farther east on Highway 90 in Vantage. Short trails wind past displays of petrified wood and petroglyphs in this unusual fossil forest, according wonderful views of the COLUMBIA RIVER and nearby beach.
In the summer, it's open daily from 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
* 'ELEGANCE AND ELECTRICITY DRIVE'
In another realm of power, ROCKY REACH DAM also makes for a magnificent destination, said Peterson. "I was so impressed with it, the gardens are beautiful," she explained. "The area all around is very, very pretty."
This trip starts in Yakima on Interstate 82 north to ELLENSBURG, then to Interstate 90 west, just past Ellensburg where you veer onto Highway 97 north. From there you travel over BLEWETT PASS, going east as Highway 97 turns into Highway 2. Just before WENATCHEE, the route follows Highway 97A to the dam, turning left onto Lincoln Park Road. The trip covers 220 miles round trip and takes about four hours.
The dam is definitely worth a trip, Sherrard of AAA agreed. She praised the display of old photographs in the visitors center as well as the flowers outside. She also recommends a side trip to OHME GARDENS in Wenatchee. "You think you're in an alpine forest there," she said. "It's up on a bluff and gorgeous."
The Gardens, near the junction of US 2 and Highway 97A, are open daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day, then until 6 p.m. through Oct. 15.
So now it's time to get behind the wheel.
* Jane Gargas can be reached at 509-577-7690 or jgargas@yakimaherald.com.
Day-trippin' map key
1. FISHER HILL BRIDGE, two miles north of Lyle on Highway 142
2. COLUMBIA HILLS STATE PARK, milepost 85 on Route 14 in Dallesport
3. MARYHILL MUSEUM OF ART,
35 Maryhill Drive, Goldendale
4. STONEHENGE, three miles east of Maryhill on Route 14
5. GOLDENDALE OBSERVATORY STATE PARK, 1602 Observatory Drive
6. WILD HORSE WIND FARM, 16 miles east of Ellensburg, at 25901 Vantage Highway, Kittitas County
7. OHME GARDENS, 3327 Ohme Road, Wenatchee, near the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 97A
8. ROCKY REACH DAM, seven miles north of Wenatchee on Highway 97A.
9. GINKGO PETRIFIED FOREST STATE PARK, 4511 Huntzinger Road, Vantage
10. PALOUSE FALLS STATE PARK in Eastern Washington, about 20 miles southeast of Washtucna on Highway 261
11. LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL STATE PARK, 25 miles northeast of Walla Walla
