Wildflowers in the sagebrush reward hike through desert

In the Evergreen State, rain forests and alpine peaks spring first to mind when the subject of hiking comes up - unless you grew up in Southeastern Washington. For the Washington version of the desert rat, the state's nickname applies to sagebrush and desert junipers. Hiking entails open vistas and rolling hills of golden grasses and dusty green shrubs.

There are many fine places to find desert environments to explore, but one of the best is the sprawling 100,000-acre L.T. Murray Wildlife Area near Selah, Yakima County. Maintained by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Murray WRA is home to a large herd of elk, as well as mule deer, white-tailed deer, badgers, coyotes, rabbits, grouse, pheasant, chukars and snakes - don't forget the snakes!

Much of the WRA is open, untrailed range land, but hikers can wander across the ridges and valleys. Or, for a more structured outing, they can venture up the Yakima Rim Trail, which provides outstanding views of the deep cut of the Yakima River Canyon between Ellensburg and Selah.

The route along the Yakima Rim Trail begins with neither trail nor rim. Instead, hikers will be best served by going cross-country first. From the bend in the road, you'll see the rim of the canyon to the northwest. Head toward it, picking your way through the sagebrush and outcropping of basalt.

While there is no formal trail here, there are many game paths cut into the desert, and as you swing in a shallow ravine leading to the rim, you'll find the remnants of an old jeep track through the brush. Flowers bloom here throughout the spring and early summer, disproving many preconceptions we have about desert ecology. But even when the blooms are past their prime, the countryside is awash in heavenly fragrance - abundant sage perfumes the air with its pungent musky/sweet odor.

Smell isn't the only sense that gets a workout here. Scores of bird species thrive in this open desert country. The tittering, tweeting songs of sparrows, swallows, thrushes and finches fill the air.

As you crest the ridge, you'll look down a dizzyingly steep canyon wall to the Yakima River. Just upstream, you'll see the concrete berm that is Roza Dam. Here, you'll find more and larger bird species. While swallows - my hiking partner counted no fewer than four subspecies of swallow - dart around the rimrock, great raptors soar overhead: ospreys, eagles and hawks. There were the usual red-tails but also Coopers, sharp-shinned and rough-legged hawks.

The meandering route through the sagebrush provides ample opportunity to see desert wildflowers and, quite possibly, some desert. Once you crest the ridge, you'll encounter the true Yakima Rim Trail, which follows the crest of the ridge north and offers stunning views of the surrounding country for miles. This is truly a wonderful place to hike in early season - the first part of March through early July - and in late autumn. The new season brings vibrant colors and an array of wildflowers.

Hike the length of the trail, or just as much of it as your legs, and time, will allow. Whether two or all 12 miles, the hike will give you a taste of the high desert of the Columbia River drainage.

--------------------------- If you go:

For more information on L.T. Murray Wildlife Area, call the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 509-575-2740 (Yakima regional office).

To get there, drive on Interstate 90 to Ellensburg, then continue southeast on Interstate 82 toward Yakima. Take the Selah/Yakima Canyon Exit and drive west on Harrison Road about two miles before turning right onto North Wenas Road. Continue nearly three miles to where the road forks near a small fire station. Stay right at the "Y" junction (signed Gibson Road). In a half mile, turn right onto Buffalo Road and continue about a half mile to where the tall drift fence on the left dips inward to create a broad parking area. Park here, or if you don't mind driving a dirt road, pass through the gate at the north side of the lot (making sure to securely close the gate behind you) and drive nearly two miles until the road begins to swing sharply to the left. Pull off the road and park among the sagebrush and grasses.