Outdoors
Wildlife areas, public lands and passes
The Hanford Reach, BLM Juniper Dunes, a dozen WDFW wildlife area units and McNary National Wildlife Refuge: what each is for, the rules, and which pass you need.
Juniper Dunes Wilderness
BLM wilderness of sand dunes and the northernmost western juniper groves, northeast of Pasco; the adjacent open area is popular for off-highway vehicles.
Hanford Reach National Monument
The last free-flowing, non-tidal stretch of the Columbia River in the U.S., with the White Bluffs, salmon spawning beds and shrub-steppe wildlife.
Esquatzel Coulee Wildlife Area Unit
Bureau of Reclamation land just north of Mesa, managed by WDFW for public fishing and hunting. Walking and waterfowl hunting are popular.
Hope Valley Wildlife Area Unit and Clark Pond
Shrub-steppe, cropland and a sub-irrigated flat 4 miles west-northwest of Eltopia, with a pheasant release site and a boat launch at Clark Pond.
Juniper Dunes OHV Area
About 3,920 acres of BLM land open to off-highway vehicles northeast of Pasco: loose sand, trails through sagebrush, open dunes and primitive roads.
McNary National Wildlife Refuge
Wetlands and river bottoms near Burbank where thousands of ducks and geese winter. Free, close and great for birding.
Mesa Lake Wildlife Area Unit
A lake and wetlands at the edge of Mesa with a gravel boat launch, warmwater fishing and waterfowl hunting. The lake is not stocked.
Rattlesnake Slope Wildlife Area Unit
Shrub-steppe on the lower slopes of Rattlesnake Mountain, 5 miles north of Benton City, bought for upland bird habitat and hunting access.
Thompson Seeps Wildlife Area Unit
A shrub-steppe canyon 8 miles northwest of Basin City where irrigation water forms a chain of ponds on its way to the Columbia.
Thornton Wildlife Area Unit
About 1,300 acres of restored grassland and shrub-steppe 8 miles northeast of Prosser with spring wildflowers, mule deer and some of the best public elk hunting on the wildlife area.
Whitstran Wildlife Area Unit
River access 2 miles east of Prosser for the popular fall Chinook salmon fishery on the Yakima River, with some waterfowl hunting.
Windmill Ranch Wildlife Area Unit
Farm fields, ponds, wetlands and shrub-steppe 3 miles northwest of Mesa, planted for wintering waterfowl and migrating sandhill cranes. Excellent upland and waterfowl hunting.
Which pass do I need?
| Pass | Covers | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Discover Pass | Washington State Parks, WDFW and DNR lands | $10 a day, $45 a year |
| WDFW Vehicle Access Pass | WDFW lands only; free with an eligible hunting or fishing license | Free with license |
| Recreation.gov reservation | Army Corps campsites (Hood, Charbonneau, Fishhook, Plymouth) | Per night |
| Oregon State Parks day-use permit | Oregon state parks such as Hat Rock (a Discover Pass does not work there) | Buy on site |
| None | Hanford Reach National Monument, BLM Juniper Dunes, McNary National Wildlife Refuge, Whitman Mission | Free |
Hunting and fishing
Benton and Franklin counties fall in WDFW District 4 (game management units 372 Rattlesnake Hills, 373 Horse Heaven, 379 Ringold and 381 Kahlotus). Read the District 4 hunting prospects and the fishing rules; we do not summarize regulations.
On WDFW lands, dogs must be leashed April 1 to July 31 to protect nesting wildlife.