Every September, the usually mild Tieton river becomes a class III rapid when the Rimrock Lake dam is released (for spawning salmon and to make room for the next year’s run-ff). Osprey Rafting camps out here through the entire month, and can help you navigate the 12 miles of fast, technical, whitewater. You can even camp out the night before!  

💡 IHY WISDOM: Additional Tieton river information and resources from Washington Recreational River Runners can be found here.

🗺️ Google Map of general location — 12 miles west of Hwy 410 junction

(📷: Shawn Gust/Yakima Herald-Republic)

No outdoor guide to the Valley can be complete without mentioning the favorite local pastime of floating the Yakima River. When the summer heat hits, everyone grabs their favorite inflatable and heads to the river. The classic 3-4 hour float starts at Umtanum and ends at Rosa. You can DIY, or hire someone like Red’s Fly Shop, Rill Adventures, or Yakima River Tubing to get you all geared up. So grab your life jacket (be safe, friends), float, cooler, and buddies, and summer is served.

💡 IHY WISDOM: If you need more inspiration, Seattle Magazine recently featured the float in their travel and outdoors section!

🗺️ A couple of launch spots: Umtanum Recreation Site (3-4hrs) or Big Horn Campground (4-5hrs)(fee required to park)

(📷: CWU Int'l/Instagram)