Discover Parks and Trails

Nearly 20,000 years ago, an ice dam in northern Idaho and western Montana burst, releasing the Missoula Floods across Washington and Oregon. Follow part of the trail of giant basalt coulees, dry falls, and huge current ripples that remained. The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail spans the Pacific Northwest; part of it runs through Richland and around the Tri-Cities: Visit the Lake Lewis High Water Marker, illustrating how Badger, Candy, Red, and Rattlesnake mountains were once islands.

Tri-Cities encompasses 23 of the 5,000 miles that make up the Lewis and Clark Trail, with several attractions marking its rich history. Drive along Highway 12 and spot commemorative markers for Lewis and Clark, and their trusted guide Sacagawea. Five museums on this route host exhibits that recall the history and stories of those who traversed and lived along the trail.

Hanford was one of three primary centers of operation across the U.S. for the Manhattan Project during WWII. Now it’s part of the Manhattan Project National Historic Park, formed in 2015 to preserve the history of the atomic weapons race. At the park visitor center in Richland, sign up for a free tour of the pre-WWII historic sites or check out the virtual tour of the B Reactor, the first large-scale nuclear reactor ever built.

Explore hiking trails that weave through desert and river habitat for native animal and plant species like Chinook salmon, bald eagles, elk, and Umtanum desert buckwheat. The swath of land had been reserved as a buffer zone surrounding the Hanford Site at the height of nuclear materials production. As a result, the flora and fauna bloomed, untouched by humans for decades. Only part of the 51-mile long monument, a national wildlife refuge, is open to the public. Enhance your experience here with a visit to Richland’s REACH Museum.