A popular perk of living in the Tri-Cities is the abundance of outdoor activities in and around the area. The mighty Columbia River — the lifeblood of our community — runs between the cities, providing ample space for boating, kayaking, waterskiing, fishing, and more. Several beautiful city parks parallel the river: Howard Amon and Leslie Groves in Richland, Chiawana and Sacajawea in Pasco, and the sprawling Columbia Park in Kennewick. Each offer year-round access to some of the most serene walking paths and picnic points in eastern Washington State. However, if you’re looking for something a little more challenging, the numerous hiking trails that are easily accessed may be more your speed. If that’s the case, I’ve compiled a list of the three best hikes in the area, each of which are well suited for all age groups.
Badger Mountain
Badger Mountain is the most popular hiking area in the Tri-Cities, and for good reason. Located within city limits, the nearly 1,600 foot mountain dominates the skyline of South Richland. It has a sprawling trail system running up the north side that is groomed and maintained by a group of local volunteers called Friends of Badger Mountain. The Canyon Trail is the most traveled in the network, seeing more than 100,000 annual users. The hike takes about two hours to complete at a leisurely pace, depending on which routes are chosen and how much time you take at the top to soak up incredible views of the Tri-Cities and Columbia River Basin. In recent years, the trail system has expanded, adding new routes for trail-runners and mountain-bikers.
Candy Mountain
Candy Mountain is the smaller brother of Badger Mountain, standing just northwest of its sibling and separated by Interstate 182. Though the two are similar in many respects (they’re both maintained by Friends of Badger), the hike up Candy can be slightly more forgiving, as the trail is not nearly as steep. That being said, this trail is deceptively long, making the average round-trip on par with its counterpart. The mountain itself may be smaller than Badger, but it is not nearly as trafficked, making for a quieter overall trek. The view from the top of Candy Mountain is wonderful, but is boosted to extraordinary at sunrise and sunset.
Twin Sisters
Southeast of the Tri-Cities, just down river and off the beaten path, the Twin Sisters stand tall, looming over the Columbia River Gorge. These unique rock formations are remnants of the cataclysmic Missoula Floods, some 14,000 years ago. The trailhead, which leads up and around the “sisters”, begins off of Highway 730, just south of Wallula Junction (about a 30 minute drive from downtown Pasco). Apart from the sheer geological awe of these columnar basalt rock chimneys, there are fantastic views of the Columbia River/Lake Wallula from the trail.
These hikes are excellent representations of places to explore the outdoor spirit we possess in the Tri-City area. On any given day, these trails are populated with families, couples, friends, and solo-hikers, all enjoying the natural wonders that eastern Washington State has to offer.
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