{"id":4264,"date":"2022-06-28T20:59:33","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T20:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/?p=4264"},"modified":"2023-09-07T14:24:56","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T14:24:56","slug":"joe-watt-canyon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/2022\/06\/28\/joe-watt-canyon\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Watt Canyon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Friday, June 17, 2022<\/p>\n<p>My sister Deb and I headed to the Ellensburg, WA area for a four-day weekend of camping and hiking. <!--more--><\/p>\n<p>We found a dispersed campsite near Taneum Campground, then we decided to do the nearby hike up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wta.org\/go-hiking\/hikes\/joe-watt-canyon\">Joe Watt Canyon<\/a>\u00a0in the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166445091_d34985d434_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We parked at the signboard and let ourselves through the gate. This time of year drivers are allowed to open the gate and keep driving, but it was nicer to walk:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166924905_14a6c74157_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Around here green dots indicate open and drivable roads:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166444756_12f49f52e9_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Two parts of a bridge were sitting in the grass here, maybe waiting to be placed over some water crossing in the area:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166680619_f56d3e2e37_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking up the canyon:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52165417367_c48e208308_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A tunnel of vegetation:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166690624_51c50ea51a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We started seeing some nice lupine in bloom, a preview of much more to come:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166456518_72e697640c_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166453101_24c5bb369c_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We saw other wildflowers as well:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166455558_73db5f2f93_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167969790_be5bda2992_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167497908_871701f969_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167496938_7fc763e86e_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167645223_62bdec0f78_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We didn&#8217;t see any other people or cars on this hike:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167726079_2f2b5ea8f4_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We had a partial view looking east:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167484756_823f4a6e47_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We started seeing LOTS more lupine. So much of it! Amazing!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167742879_202a74d943_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167985070_ae53634a9a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167513463_af2eb42aff_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167984100_10b3e5c48b_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167506226_376a611700_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167509881_81895f43f3_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167554703_19a48dd2f6_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Stretches of the road were in bad shape:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167898354_5304605956_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167885689_069218c049_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167885164_0b85478a14_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The terrain opened up a bit:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167644693_5a50b34578_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And we reached the ruins of old homesteader&#8217;s cabin:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167658153_215afa9596_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167873994_79b4d1e3e9_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166610287_7a828bbf3d_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167872229_40063fe990_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>These lilac bushes must have been planted by that long-ago homesteader and even though the cabin is in ruins these bushes live on, getting bigger and bigger:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167632661_20a1d918fe_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We followed a trail up the hill behind the cabin to see what we could see, and came across some scarlet gilia:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167648373_8cc6f955c5_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Then we went off-trail up a hill to see if there were any views up there. Nope:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167646908_4e5a4dd2aa_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52168119185_339276b205_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52168118925_466bea8ffa_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167636926_1ac26c512d_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>But we did see a deer and some golden-mantled ground squirrels:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52169806621_dbb80b154d_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52169812458_68334494a4_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52169812118_d5e16c9431_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Heading back down the trail to the cabin ruins:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167876024_1f39582663_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167638926_560d49f33c_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Then we headed back down the road to the car:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166624542_10569fab7a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167648316_7ced646b36_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52167647671_d59e8984d3_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52166622102_448ebbca56_c.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Watt Canyon\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Even though this was a road hike, it was very nice and I was pleasantly surprised by the number of wildflowers we saw.<\/p>\n<p>Gaia stats: 5.6 miles, 1,090&#8242; elevation gain.<\/p>\n<p>Video: <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Hiking Weekend in Central Washington\" width=\"880\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vcG7g-XQa60?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Friday, June 17, 2022 My sister Deb and I headed to the Ellensburg, WA area for a four-day weekend of<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/2022\/06\/28\/joe-watt-canyon\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Joe Watt Canyon<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4315,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[243,161],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4264"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4264"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4864,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4264\/revisions\/4864"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}