Outdoors & recreation
Rivers, ridges and shrub-steppe
Three rivers, long sunny seasons and trailheads minutes from downtown. Here’s where to go, and what to know about heat, water and passes before you do.

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Use “Good for: Dog-friendly” to see places where dogs are welcome.
Results: 53
Lyons Ferry State Park
Camping, swimming and boating where the Palouse meets the Snake River, near Palouse Falls.
Leslie Groves Park
North Richland riverfront park with sports fields and access to the riverside trail.
Lawrence Scott Park
Kennewick city park on W Quinault Ave. Has a playground, picnic tables and a basketball court. Dogs allowed.
Kenwood Park
Park on S Garfield St in Kennewick. Has a playground and picnic tables. Dogs allowed.
Keewaydin Park
Park on W Keewaydin Dr in Kennewick. Has a playground, picnic tables and a basketball court. Dogs allowed.
Jefferson Park
Richland park on George Washington Way. Wheelchair-accessible entrance.
Jason Lee Park
Richland park on McMurray Ave. Wheelchair-accessible entrance.
Howard Amon Park
Richland’s riverfront park beside the Uptown district: shaded lawns, the riverside path, a playground and the summer concert and art-fair home base.
Horse Heaven Hills Park
Kennewick city park on S Yelm St. Has a playground, picnic tables and public restrooms. Dogs allowed.
Hills West Park
Richland park on Pinionwood Ct. Has a playground. Dogs allowed.
Highlands Grange Park
A park on S Union St, Kennewick. Has a playground, picnic tables and a basketball court. Dogs allowed.
Hawthorne Park
Kennewick park on N Ely Pl. Has a playground, picnic tables and a basketball court. Dogs allowed.
Hansen Park
Park on S Columbia Center Blvd in Kennewick. Has a playground. Wheelchair-accessible entrance.
Before you go
Heat: summer afternoons regularly top 100°F and most trails have no shade. Start at sunrise, carry more water than you think, and watch for rattlesnakes on warm days.
Rivers: the Columbia and Snake are big, cold and fast even when the surface looks calm. Wear a life jacket on the water and swim only at designated areas. Check today’s water temperatures.
Passes & fire: Washington state parks (Sacajawea, Palouse Falls, Lyons Ferry) require a Discover Pass. Check burn bans before any fire.
Good to know
- Bateman Island is no longer reachable on foot. Its causeway was removed in 2026 to restore Yakima River flow for salmon.
- Hanford Reach National Monument protects the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia in the U.S.; the White Bluffs are its signature hike.
- Palouse Falls, in northern Franklin County, is Washington’s official state waterfall, about 90 minutes from Pasco.
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