Yakima County, Washington · Wine Country
Naches Valley
The Cascade foothills west of Yakima shelter Washington's first fully sustainable wine appellation, the largest elk feeding station in Washington, and the White Pass gateway to the Pacific Crest Trail.
COMMUNITIES
Naches and Tieton
FROM YAKIMA
14 miles via US-12
FROM SEATTLE
3 hrs via I-90/I-82
COUNTY
Yakima
KNOWN FOR
Elk viewing, sustainable AVA
ELK SEASON
Oct through March
The Naches Valley is the corridor of the Naches River and its tributaries in the Cascade foothills west of Yakima, roughly following US-12 from where it leaves Yakima through the small communities of Naches and Tieton toward White Pass and eventually the Cowlitz Valley on the other side. The valley is in Yakima County, in the rain shadow of the Cascades, with the same dry-summer, cold-winter climate that makes the Yakima Valley the agricultural heart of Washington.
The Naches Heights American Viticultural Area occupies the basalt-capped benchlands above the Cowiche Canyon on the valley’s eastern slopes. Designated in 2011, it is the first AVA in Washington State where all producing vineyards are certified either biodynamic or LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology), making it the only fully sustainable wine appellation in the state. The elevation (1,350 to 2,000 feet) gives the Naches Heights vineyards a longer growing season and more dramatic temperature swings than the valley floor, producing wines with distinctive minerality. Wilridge Winery, operating from a century-old farmhouse, and Naches Heights Vineyard, the estate that founded the AVA, are the two anchor producers.
Away from the wine corridor, the Naches Valley has two significant natural assets. The Oak Creek Wildlife Area on US-12 west of Naches is a WDFW feeding station where up to 1,200 Rocky Mountain elk winter each year, accessible from the highway for close wildlife viewing from October through March. White Pass, 53 miles west on US-12, is an operating ski area at 4,500 feet with Pacific Crest Trail access in summer.
Getting Here
Naches Valley is accessed via US-12 west from Yakima. The community of Naches is about 14 miles from Yakima city center, and Tieton is about 18 miles. The Naches Heights vineyards are accessible via Naches Heights Road off US-12, about 10 miles from Yakima. From Seattle, the most direct route is I-90 east through Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg, then I-82 southeast to Yakima, then US-12 west into the valley. Total time from Seattle is approximately 3 hours.
White Pass is 55 miles west of Yakima on US-12, about 1 hour from Naches. The pass highway is open year-round but winter conditions can require chains or traction tires. Check WSDOT conditions before driving in winter and spring.
There is no public transit in the Naches Valley. A car is required for all destinations described here. The valley communities are too spread out and the attractions too rural for any other transportation.
Things to Do
Nature
Oak Creek Elk Wildlife Viewing
The WDFW Oak Creek Wildlife Area on US-12 west of Naches operates a supplemental feeding program for Rocky Mountain elk from October through March. Up to 1,200 elk winter in the valley below the highway, and a public viewing platform gives direct views of the herd from the road. The elk gather most reliably in early morning and late afternoon. Peak numbers occur in December through February. Free. One of the most accessible large-wildlife spectacles in Washington, and almost entirely unknown outside of Yakima County.
Wine
Naches Heights AVA Wine Tasting
The Naches Heights American Viticultural Area, designated in 2011, is the first AVA in Washington where all commercial vineyards are certified biodynamic or LIVE sustainable. The basalt-capped benchlands above the Cowiche Canyon at 1,350 to 2,000 feet elevation produce wines with distinct minerality and longer hang time than the valley floor. Wilridge Winery in a 100-year-old farmhouse is the most established tasting room. Naches Heights Vineyard offers tours by appointment with founder Phil Cline.
Outdoors
Cowiche Canyon Trail
A 2.9-mile trail through a basalt canyon carved by Cowiche Creek, accessible via the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy trailhead 5 miles west of Yakima. The canyon walls rise 200 feet above the creek, with native bunch grass, balsamroot, and lupine on the slopes. The geology of the Naches Heights benchlands is visible from below the canyon walls. Popular with mountain bikers and hikers spring through fall; the spring wildflower bloom in April is particularly striking.
Recreation
White Pass Skiing and Hiking
White Pass Ski Area sits at 4,500 feet on US-12, 53 miles west of Yakima. The mountain has 1,402 acres of terrain across 47 runs, with less crowding than the I-90 corridor resorts. The season runs typically from November through April. In summer, the White Pass parking area is a Pacific Crest Trail trailhead giving access to the Goat Rocks Wilderness, one of the most dramatic stretches of the PCT in Washington, crossing volcanic ridgelines between Mount Rainier and Mount Adams.
Nature
Tieton River Float and Fishing
The Tieton River runs through the heart of the valley from Rimrock Lake to its confluence with the Naches River near Naches. When Rimrock reservoir releases water in early fall, the Tieton becomes one of the most intense Class IV whitewater runs in Washington for a brief window, drawing kayakers and rafters from across the state. Outside the release window, the river offers calmer float stretches and rainbow and brown trout fishing in the lower canyon sections.
Culture
Tieton Arts and Humanities
The Mighty Tieton project converted a former 1906 warehouse complex in the town of Tieton into an arts and creative enterprise hub, with working studios, a gallery, and annual events including the Tieton Mural Project. The transformation of an agricultural warehouse town into an arts destination is one of the more unlikely creative stories on the Yakima Valley wine corridor.
Outdoors
Rimrock Lake and Clear Lake Recreation Areas
Rimrock Lake (Rimrock Reservoir) is a 2,300-acre reservoir on the upper Tieton River, about 45 miles west of Yakima on US-12. The reservoir and the adjacent Clear Lake offer fishing for rainbow and brown trout, camping, and motorized boating. The drive along the Tieton River from Naches to Rimrock through the canyon walls is one of the more scenic river corridor drives on the eastern Cascades slope.
“Standing at Oak Creek in January with 1,200 elk working the hillside across the road is one of those Washington experiences that has no equivalent elsewhere in the state.”
Explore Washington State
Where to Stay
White Pass Village Inn
Ski-in ski-out lodging at White Pass, 55 miles west of Yakima on US-12. Condo-style units at the base of the mountain, convenient for both ski season and summer PCT hiking from the pass. The most practical overnight option if you are basing a trip around White Pass rather than the wine corridor.
Book at White Pass Village InnYakima Area Hotels
The Naches Valley has very limited dedicated lodging. Yakima, 14 miles east on US-12, is the practical base for visiting the elk viewing area, the Naches Heights wineries, Cowiche Canyon, and the Tieton corridor. The Yakima hub page has full lodging options.
See Yakima LodgingFind a Cabin Near Naches Valley
Find a Cabin Near Naches Valley
Food & Drink
Wilridge Winery is the anchor of the Naches Heights wine scene, operating from a century-old farmhouse with a tasting room that pours more than 20 varieties grown on the biodynamic estate. The farmhouse setting and the agricultural character of the property are as distinctive as the wine.
Naches Heights Vineyard is the estate founded by Phil Cline that established the AVA and pioneered biodynamic farming in this part of Washington. Tours and tastings are available with advance booking.
Cowiche Canyon Kitchen and Icehouse Bar in Yakima (15 minutes east on US-12) serves as the urban complement to the valley wine scene, with a menu built around local agricultural sourcing and a strong Yakima Valley wine program.
Tieton Cider Works sources apples from Tieton-area orchards to produce craft hard cider at their Yakima facility. The cidery celebrates the agricultural identity of the Naches-Tieton corridor in liquid form.
Festivals & Events
September
Tieton River Whitewater Release
Each fall, typically in late September to early October, the Tieton River is released from Rimrock Reservoir and briefly becomes one of the most intense Class IV whitewater rivers in Washington. The release date is announced by the Bureau of Reclamation and draws kayakers and rafters from across the Pacific Northwest for a short window.
October
Naches Heights Harvest Events
The Naches Heights wineries host harvest season tastings and events each October as the biodynamic growing season concludes. Special releases, vineyard tours, and paired dinners mark the end of the agricultural year in this distinctive high-elevation appellation.
April
Tieton Mural Project
The Mighty Tieton arts complex in the town of Tieton hosts the annual Tieton Mural Project, bringing artists to create large-scale murals on the former warehouse buildings of the town. The project has been expanding the mural collection in Tieton since the arts complex was established.
Day Trips
Oak Creek Wildlife Area (10 miles west of Naches on US-12): A WDFW wildlife area operating a supplemental elk feeding program from October through March, when up to 1,200 Rocky Mountain elk congregate in the valley below the highway. The elk are visible from a public viewing platform directly from US-12, making this one of the most accessible large-wildlife viewing experiences in Washington. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times. Free.
Cowiche Canyon Trail (5 miles west of Yakima via Yakima River Road): A 2.9-mile trail through a basalt canyon carved by the Cowiche Creek, with native bunch grass, wildflowers, and the distinctive geology of the Naches Heights benchlands visible from below. Popular with mountain bikers and hikers, and particularly striking in spring when the canyon wildflowers bloom.
White Pass Ski Area (53 miles west on US-12): A mid-size ski area at 4,500 feet with 1,402 acres of terrain and direct Pacific Crest Trail access in summer. Less crowded than Crystal Mountain and Stevens Pass. The summer hiking from the White Pass Trailhead connects to Goat Rocks Wilderness, one of the most distinctive alpine environments in the Cascades.
Yakima (14 miles east via US-12): The largest city in Yakima County with the Yakima Valley Museum, the Capitol Theatre, and the full Yakima wine corridor. EWS hub at Yakima.
Planning Your Visit
The Naches Valley has distinct seasonal draws. Winter (November through March) is the elk season at Oak Creek Wildlife Area, when the herd is at its largest and most concentrated near the highway. Plan a cold-morning visit around mid-January when numbers peak. January and February are also the least crowded times at the Naches Heights tasting rooms.
Spring (April and May) brings wildflowers in Cowiche Canyon and the end of elk season, with the valley beginning its agricultural cycle. The apple and pear orchards bloom in April, covering the valley floor in white and pink. The White Pass highway opens to summer conditions in April.
Summer (June through September) is the full White Pass hiking season, with Pacific Crest Trail day hikes accessible from the pass parking area. The wine harvest begins in September and runs through October, when the Naches Heights producers hold harvest events.
The Naches Valley is not a destination in the Walla Walla or Lake Chelan sense: there is limited lodging, no resort infrastructure, and the attractions are spread across a 50-mile corridor. Yakima is the practical base. Plan a full day to cover the elk viewing, a tasting at Wilridge or Naches Heights, and a hike in Cowiche Canyon, with dinner back in Yakima.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Naches Valley known for?
The Naches Valley is known for two distinct draws: the Oak Creek Wildlife Area, where up to 1,200 Rocky Mountain elk winter along US-12 and can be viewed from the highway from October through March, and the Naches Heights AVA, Washington’s first fully sustainable wine appellation with biodynamic and LIVE-certified vineyards on basalt benchlands above the Cowiche Canyon. The valley also provides the most direct access to White Pass and the Goat Rocks Wilderness via US-12.
Where is the Naches Valley?
The Naches Valley follows the Naches River and US-12 through the Cascade foothills west of Yakima, in Yakima County. The communities of Naches and Tieton are the main population centers, both on US-12 about 14 to 18 miles from Yakima city center. White Pass is 53 miles west of Yakima on the same highway.
When can you see elk at Oak Creek?
The Oak Creek Wildlife Area elk viewing season runs from October through March, when the herd uses the supplemental feeding program. Peak numbers are in December through February, when up to 1,200 elk may be present. A public viewing platform gives direct views of the herd from US-12. Early morning and late afternoon offer the most active elk behavior. Free admission; no reservations required.
What is the Naches Heights AVA?
The Naches Heights AVA is an American Viticultural Area designated in 2011 on the basalt-capped benchlands above the Cowiche Canyon, northwest of Yakima. It is the first AVA in Washington State where all commercial vineyards are certified either biodynamic or LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology), making it the only fully sustainable appellation in the state. The elevation of 1,350 to 2,000 feet gives the wines distinct minerality. Wilridge Winery and Naches Heights Vineyard are the primary producers.
Is there lodging in the Naches Valley?
Dedicated lodging in Naches and Tieton is very limited. Yakima, 14 miles east on US-12, is the practical base for visiting the valley, with a full range of hotels and restaurants. White Pass Village Inn at the ski area provides slope-side lodging 53 miles west for visitors focusing on the ski area or PCT hiking. The Yakima EWS hub has full lodging recommendations.