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.
Find a park, trail or outdoor spot
Use “Good for: Dog-friendly” to see places where dogs are welcome.
Results: 53
Badger Mountain Splash Pad
Park on Keene Rd in Richland. Has a playground, picnic tables and public restrooms. Dogs allowed.
Badger Mountain Community Park
Richland park on Keene Rd Trl. Wheelchair-accessible entrance.
Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve
The Tri-Cities’ favorite hike: the Canyon Trail climbs to summit views over all three cities and the rivers.
Amon Creek Natural Preserve
Wetland, riparian and shrub-steppe trails along the west fork of Amon Creek; more than 150 bird species recorded.
Columbia River Dog Park
Kennewick’s 3.25-acre off-leash dog park in Columbia Park, east of the Family Fishing Pond, with separate small, medium and large dog areas.
McCurley Subaru Dog Park
A free, fully fenced off-leash dog park at the McCurley Subaru dealership on Sandifur Parkway in west Pasco, open to the public and lit at night.
Paws-Abilities Place
Richland’s fenced off-leash dog park behind Badger Mountain Community Park, with 2.5 acres for large dogs and a half acre for small or shy dogs.
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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