WENAS Campground Directions and Maps

WENASAudubon

DIRECTIONS AND MAPS

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. Along this drive through sagebrush country watch for bluebird boxes on fence posts. There are wonderful numbers of both Mountain and Western Bluebirds along here. Also watch along the road in the brown, rocky earth for Bitteroot's rose-pink flowers hugging the ground.

Very soon after you come to blacktop road surface stop, look for Audubon signs, 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, bear to the right and proceed past the horse and ATV campers to the Audubon camping area, the portable toilets signal your arrival.

Drive around camp and find the "Larrison Tree" where there'll be information handouts about field trips, campfire programs, a display of identified wildflowers, and a sign-up sheet. NO motor vehicles within 50 feet of the creek.

CHINOOK PASS, SR-410 and WHITE PASS, US-12

Check the state DOT website at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/Chinook/ for more road information.

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. After crossing the bridge, bear to the right and proceed past the horse and ATV campers to the Audubon camping area, the portable toilets signal your arrival.

Chinook Pass 5/27/2006

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. Some of our field trips 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.