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Burke M
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Burke M
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PostTue Jul 09, 2019 11:45 am 
Ive been poking around for some last minute camping spots in the Hanford Reach area and thought id drop in here and ask. Im taking my son to the LIGO Observatory on Saturday afternoon and was thinking that since this is very last minute we might be able to find some primitive camping somewhere nearby. I know that you cant camp in the conservation area though and I am very unfamiliar with the area other than Vantage. Our plan is to take off around 9am Friday morning and head that way, hopefully find somewhere to camp and checkout the reach friday evening/saturday morning... its going to be HOT. Thanks! P.S. Also any fly fishing spots that are a must would be nice to hear about. Were taking some gear but 99% of our fishing experience is coastal cuts off the beach.

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Schenk
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Schenk
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PostTue Jul 09, 2019 12:18 pm 
You'll need a small boat, or float tube, but Nunnaly and Lenice lakes are close by and are known as fly fishing destinations. Watch your valuables, it is also known as a car prowling tweaker zone. There isn't much skinny water worth fishing around there unless you target carp, smallmouth, or other warm water species, in which case Lower Crab Creek might be worth trying. Just a bit further towards Othello are the Seep Lakes south of Potholes Reservoir, also known for good fishing. And also another car prowling tweaker zone. Seep lakes has plenty (except on popular weekends) of primitive camping, but no cover/trees to speak of. If you like watching a circus, camp at Frenchman's Coulee climbing area...it is sometimes good for a show or two. It is on the east side of the Columbia, accessed by taking the old Vantage road that leads down to the Columbia from I-90. Take the Silica Rd exit. and the area is on the north side of the interstate. Some climbers call Frenchman's Coulee "Vantage" , but Vantage is on the other side of the Columbia.

Nature exists with a stark indifference to humans' situation.
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Randito
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Randito
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PostTue Jul 09, 2019 1:03 pm 
As far as I know there isn't anywhere to river camp between the Venita bridge and Tri-cities. I think even landing on river right is illegal.

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Kim Brown
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PostTue Jul 09, 2019 7:25 pm 
The 4WD area in the Saddle Mtns at Wahluke Wildlife Refuge is open to commando camping, but there's no water that I know of. And hot as hell. Not sure how family friendly it might be nowadays. It was good when I was there years ago.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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gb
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gb
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PostTue Jul 09, 2019 7:30 pm 
True explicitly illegal to camp in HRNM despite how good it appears. Presumably this relates to the still possible release of Plutonium et al. and the lack of facilities. It is the hottest place in the state.

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Burke M
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Burke M
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PostTue Jul 09, 2019 7:44 pm 
We found a place in Eltopia via that Hipcamp app. Originally had a place reserved at Potholes but its so far that id rather just find somewhere to pull off the road even. All is well. Yes we are bracing for heat. Thanks for the tips everyone. up.gif

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InFlight
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Joined: 20 May 2015
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InFlight
coated in DEET
PostTue Jul 09, 2019 10:44 pm 
Desert Aire has camping as well. Probably as close to Hanford as possible from the north.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...” ― Henry David Thoreau
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JVesquire
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PostWed Jul 10, 2019 8:19 am 
Grant County PUD maintains a bunch of sites on the river close to there. They're adequate, but not all that special.

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MtnGoat
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PostWed Jul 10, 2019 1:48 pm 
The road from 24 up to Wahatis peak has some make your own dispersed sites. The spur headed steeply uphill to the S from the summit ridge road, a few miles after reaching the ridgeline and heading west, has a nice flat area and petrified wood.

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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Burke M
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Burke M
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PostThu Jul 18, 2019 9:05 pm 
MtnGoat wrote:
The road from 24 up to Wahatis peak has some make your own dispersed sites. The spur headed steeply uphill to the S from the summit ridge road, a few miles after reaching the ridgeline and heading west, has a nice flat area and petrified wood.
Thanks for the tip, we went up there and found a ton of really nice petrified wood along with some really stellar views. Kind of surprising how much there was just laying around on the ground. Other than that we ended up camping on a friend of a friends farm which was perfect because we were pretty close to Ringold Hatchery which was a great spot for bass. Thanks again everyone. P.S. The LIGO Observatory was probably the highlight for us, completely amazing what theyre doing there.

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