If anyone is traveling to or through central Washington, Scooteney Reservoir recreation area, managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, has a campground that is a little green gem amongst the sage brush of the surrounding recreation land. A fishing reservoir, we had fun canoeing the edges & seeing who was living in the reeds (Red Wing and Yellow Headed Blackbirds, turtles, giant carp), walking the sagebrush areas, seeing marmots and dozens of other bird species. Quail, Magpies, Brewers Blackbirds, Mourning Doves moved through our site all the time. We had planned to be there 2 days on the way to other places, but when we both got sick we stayed 10! As we got to feeling better we explored wonderful places in the surrounding area - The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge north of the campground, the Hanford National Monument to the east, and one day we went a little too far - north to see wildflowers at the Breezly Preserve & the Moses Coulee preserve.
This is not a 'destination' vacation spot, the campground is not on maps or listed any place, used mostly by local Washingtonians, its first come first serve. Sites are planted with flowering bushes and tress, with privacy in mind, no hook ups, but water faucets every few sites and clean bathrooms. Only 37 sites and a large day use area made it feel private with room to roam, paths along the water, boat launch, roads to drive to the more remote areas of the recreation area. As a federal park, it honors Gold Age passes, so the fee for us was $7.50, half of the $15.
7 Miles south of Othello WA on highway 17.
I'll post a few pictures but more pictures of the campground area can be found on my travel web site:
http://web.mac.com/huckleberry9/Trav...cooteney_.html
Penney
Linear Mode
