Yakima River Canyon Campgrounds
Open year-round. Reservations available May 1 through September 30 via Recreation.gov. First-come, first-served October 1 through April 30. Construction at Big Pines and Roza during summer 2026 may result in temporary closures of up to two weeks; exact dates will be posted when schedules are finalized.
Red Flag Warning issued July 31 at 12:56PM PDT until August 1 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
...PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION (PDS) RED FLAG IN EFFECT 2PM UNTIL 8PM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS: KITTITAS VALLEY (ZONE 690) - LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON AND WASHINGTON (ZONE 691) - NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON AND WASHINGTON (ZONE 692) - CANYON GRASSLANDS OF WALLOWA COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON GRANDE RONDE VALLEY (ZONE 693) - GRANDE RONDE VALLEY OF OREGON (ZONE 694) - EAGLE CAP WILDERNESS (ZONE 695) - JOHN DAY VALLEY (ZONE 696) - AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF OREGON (ZONE 700)... .A strong cold front will pass through the Pacific and Inland Northwest on Saturday. Very warm, dry, and windy conditions will result, leading to extreme fire weather concerns and the potential for rapid fire spread for any new or ongoing fires. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 690 Kittitas Valley, 691 Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon, 691 Lower Columbia Basin of Washington, 692 Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon, 692 Blue Mountains of Washington, 693 Canyon Grasslands of Wallowa County, 693 Southeast Washington Grande Ronde Valley, 694 Grande Ronde Valley of Oregon, 695 Eagle Cap Wilderness, 696 John Day Valley and 700 Central Mountains of Oregon. * TIMING...From 11 AM to 11 PM PDT Saturday. * WINDS...West 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 15 percent. * IMPACTS...This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION as extreme Fire Weather concerns will be present. Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
Wind Advisory issued July 31 at 1:42PM PDT until August 1 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
* WHAT...West winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph expected. * WHERE...Kittitas Valley. * WHEN...From 11 AM to 11 PM PDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
From Recreation.gov
Our facility will be undergoing construction that could impact the availability of some campsites for a few weeks in the summer of 2026. Your reservation maybe cancelled if it conflicts with the construction period.
About
The Yakima River Canyon Campgrounds encompass four developed Bureau of Land Management recreation sites along Washington State's Scenic Highway 821. Big Pines is the largest with 42 campsites and a non-motorized boat launch. Roza offers 6 shaded sites near Roza Dam. Umtanum has 18 sites and a historic footbridge providing the only pedestrian crossing to the west side of the river. Lmuma Creek is the smallest with 7 campsites and a scenic overlook. The gentle Yakima River winds through massive basalt cliffs rising over 2,000 feet and rolling desert hills, creating excellent habitat for bighorn sheep, birds of prey, and mule deer. The river is classified as a Blue Ribbon trout stream with catch-and-release fishing only. Summer floating from Umtanum to Roza is popular, as the Class 1 water has no rapids. All sites are primitive with vault toilets, fire rings, picnic tables, and dumpsters, but no potable water or hookups. Campers are limited to 7-day stays, 10 people, and 2 vehicles per site. Dogs must be leashed.
Directions
Located along Washington State Scenic Highway 821 (Canyon Road) between Ellensburg and Yakima. Umtanum is near milepost 16, Lmuma Creek near milepost 12, Big Pines near milepost 8, and Roza near milepost 7.
Amenities
| Water | No |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | — |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $15 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | — |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Contact
| blm_or_sp_yrc@blm.gov | |
| Phone | +1 (509) 665-2100 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | Yes |
Availability
Photos
Community Posts
No posts yet. Be the first to share your experience!