This hike will get your heart rate up in the first five minutes. It took me a total of 15 minutes…read moreto get to the top. I would plan on about 45 minutes to an hour total to give you time to get up, enjoy the view and head down. As a kid we called this the, "hike to the cross" because of the metal cross at the top. At the top your reward is that view of West Richland/Richland and the satisfaction you made it. We had all different ages (7-65) and everyone lived to tell about it. At the park they have playground equipment with swings, slides and monkey bars. There is also a gazebo and horse shoe pits.

It's hands-down the best park in West Richland. Actually it's more than a park: it's a hub for the…read moreWest Richland community. There's a sandy mountain to climb, there's shade, there's sports, and there's lovely concerts! Ah the concerts. Flat Top Park is home to some of the local talent here. During the summer there are weekly FREE concerts ranging from patriotic to steel drums to jazz & blues. These shows are a gem of West Richland and this park seems to have some of the most wonderful events that are not going to be too crowded! The evening shows are great for a picnic! For a schedule, check out this link: http://www.westrichland.org/ConcertSeries.cfm Hogs & Dogs seems to be a popular event, it is a motorcycle show hosted nearby at the Bombing Range Sports Complex. I'm not into motorcycles but it is consistently well-attended Oops, I forgot about the rest of the park! There's this big sandy mountain behind the park that offers a pretty good view of the Tri-Cities area. Sledding? This is the best steep spot in the Tri-City area, it's not for the faint of heart and I swear I almost broke my neck when I got too bold one snowy day. But seriously, it's the best! The rest of the park is very nice, but these are the exceptional points. Sledding and shows, and hiking! Don't miss this friendly spot.

This park gets pretty busy around Fourth of July! Located right next to the Columbia River, the…read morebarge launches the fireworks right from the river. You get a pretty good view of the bridge from here. They water the grass, so it is nice and green. From the looks of it, it seems like the grass area is a thin stretch of grass along the river, rather than an expansive, wide field of grass that you can run and play frisbee on. Like most recreational areas, it will take you quite a while to exit the parking area on a holiday, like the Fourth of July

Nestled within the elbow of the mighty Columbia as it makes its last dash Pacific-ward are the…read moreFinley Hills Trails. This area is known as the Wallula Gap & you are gifted with views of this natural wonder....after you ride through some sandy, desolate, and sweat-inducing trails (that can sometimes have a rattler or few). So, I have looked at this area from afar (by car when heading down to Walla Walla, or by train window when going to Portland), and have always loved the terrain. Here, the Columbia cuts through what must have once day been a mountain, and now we're left with a mini-canyon with high walls. I always assumed the views from atop these walls must be awesome, and they are. Getting here is a short jaunt from the Tri-Cities, and yes, you do drive through Finley (it's not that scary, actually). Most of the drive is paved save for the last mile. There's an area to park your car (it isn't marked, but the Yelp Map should give ya a good idea). Once parked, cross the road you were just on and make your way through the gate/fence. Then you're in. There's the main road/trail here. I heard there is atleast one single track you can also take here if you take an immediate left, but it wasn't illuminated to me (grasses overtook it methinks). At any rate, just follow the road. The riding is decent, but it does get sandy in parts. If it's windy (which is frequently on the menu at the Wallula Gap), you will wish you had a mask like Darth Vader. I rode a few miles and saw no other bikers, but did see people on horseback. I was frequently on the lookout for rattlesnakes. It was a hot day, and my friend mentioned they also like this area (I never came across a single one). After a tough arduous workout, I spied some sort of Tower (probably cellular) and made my way toward it. Here is reward for all the pain and suffering. This is a perch with the views to make memories. Here you can see Mr. Columbia's elbow. You're going to be high up along cliff's so don't be too daring. It's a bit rocky here, too, so mind your knees and don't do the falling thing. This is what made it all worth it. Great views, great views, great views. Next time, I'd probably try this during a less windy and earlier in the season (to avoid the dryness factor). But all in all, a new local biking option has been found.

Super scenic view once at the top. Elevation isn't crazy but definitely a good gradual climb. The…read moreview in late spring early summer must be amazing. Check it out and there is another trail just across the street!

Since the pandemic I have been hiking and running this trail. If you hit the trails at the right…read moretime in the morning it's not too bad at all. You gotta watch out for the people who don't leash their dogs and you dang near trip and fall over them if they get spooked and run into you.

A great place to Wander…read more Tip#1: If you're using Google Maps to find this place, simply put in "Yellepit", and it will get you there. On the sunny Saturday that I visited, sleepy tumbleweeds lined Ayers Road, the gravel stretch that ultimately leads to the trailhead. Admittedly, it was alarming to come over a hill to see an armed man standing in the road facing me, but he, his rifle, and the other men, were there for some shooting fun. Not too far past them, was the end of the road - or rather, a closed, barbed wire gate. There's only space for about 2 parked cars to the right of the road, by the fence. I was the third, so just parked as far on the side as I could. Tip #2: Climb (carefully) OVER the barbed wire fence. Just to the left of the opening, is a good place to do this. Do not (as I did), try to open the gate. It's easy to open - it nearly literally flies open -- the barbed wire and wooden planks eager to return to their at-ease positions, and is notably much less easy to close/reassemble. I felt very, very, "city" when this happened, and I struggled for a few minutes to amend the situation. Tip #3: See Tip #2 for the following 2 barbed-wire fences you'll encounter. I crossed paths with very few people along the way, and none seemed to have a true plan of action. A couple gentlemen I encountered had been out, wandering the cow trails, and told me to just carve my own path, be wary of the drop-offs. Tip #4: Be comfortable with unclear directions, unmarked pathways, and changes-in-plan. Or perhaps, don't do this hike. I ended up on cow-trails myself, learning a bit about their dexterity along the narrow stretches. I was impressed! In any case, I missed whatever direction would have led me to the Mound Pond Overlook, which had been my goal, but still discovered worthy vistas and a very peaceful area to spend the afternoon. At one point, I was startled to happen upon two cars, on a bluff, that appeared to have fallen from a cliff above - perhaps in the 70s/80s(?). It's not really something you expect to encounter when wandering cow trails high above the Columbia. It was a gorgeous afternoon - and once I got far enough away from the makeshift gun range, it was also peaceful. This is a great hiking area if you are: 1. Comfortable with general wandering 2. Not afraid of armed people shooting nearby 3. Directionally sound enough to find your way back to your car, once you've been wandering around 4. Love and appreciate views of the Columbia River 5. Comfortable with wandering cows Final Tip: Check out the wta.org site for more trail info. This ultimately *still* didn't get me to where I wanted to be, but was helpful, nevertheless.

The grounds are near the Dayton Transit Center. This park is across the street from Kennewick High…read moreSchool, and well manicured. We arrived in a Saturday, September 24, 2022, and were happy to see many families enjoying the outdoors! The playgrounds were filled with children engaging and telling stories on how to be confident in climbing or sliding. It was quite the treat! Looking forward to spending more time here to exercise, meditate, or picnicking!

This is a very small park located next to the Mid Columbia Library on Dayton. There is a play…read morestructure here for the kids and room to run around, but again, the park is quite small. In general the park appears quite clean, although the grass is often overgrown and the picnic tables look like they have seen better days. The grass is very green, so while the grass might not be mowed quite often enough, at least they water the grass. There are plenty of trees, which is perfect for some summer reading under the shade!

The gravel parking lot is right off the side of the road, and I originally drove past it without…read morerealizing that was the lot. So, I had to turn around and drive back, which was slightly nerve-wracking as the highway has some twists and turns that make it difficult to tell if there is oncoming traffic. On the plus side, there seems to be plenty of room for parking, and we were the only ones there. There's a sign detailing the legend of the twin sisters, and then there's a short but steep trail to the base of the rocks. Great place to stretch your legs!

Beautiful site. Easy trail. A bit more difficult incline. Enjoyed it. Turning off the road was not…read moreas difficult as they say. Just prepare ahead of time warning drivers behind you. Several people did come flying in like bats out of hell but there is no need for that.

Huge parking lot, large open field, old but satisfactory playground structures (no swings!), a few…read morepicnic shelters with grills, and several swinging benches to use while enjoying the river view. Rated 4/5 due to the playground surface (what seems like a sandlike gravel mixture). The restrooms are no frills but (mostly) well-kept. Separate restrooms for men, women, and those who'd prefer a family/gender-neutral space. The park has a few picnic shelters with grills. Each shelter could probably accommodate 10-15 people.

I loved this park during my short stay in Tri-cities area. There is a marina down the hill across…read morefrom the Marriott Courtyard that allows for boats , jet skis, etc. to be docked and put out for a beautiful day on the water. There is also a sandy area on the opposite of the wake area for kids and adults alike to swim, splash, and enjoy the summer. There is a rope that prevents the public from going too far near the boat crossings and the water is deep enough to jump from the dock area. I loved the structures, in addition to all the beautiful trees, that helped give shade on this brutal summer. In addition, I noticed there were bathrooms for changing and water faucets to wash the sand off your feet with a massive parking lot that is appreciated. During my stay I also noticed a walking path and a couple of volleyball courts that were in play throughout the day. Very well done and I look forward to returning soon!