Trail Description:
This is a great ride, primarily on jeep trails, but these can be quite technical. The route described is 43 miles long with 6,500 feet of elevation gain. Ride time is about 5 to 6 hours. For those of you that are sick of the trees, mud, and rain on the west-side this is highly recommended. Ride it between April and June and the desert flowers of eastern Washington will still be in bloom.

Start on the gravel road crossing the canyon and Manastash Creek. It then then starts climbing to the ridge top. Bear right at the first fork; otherwise follow the main road. You reach the ridge top at about 3,800 feet (about 2.5 miles).

At the ridge top, continue south on the main gravel road This leads to the Wenas Road and Ellensburg pass (about 3.5 miles.

At Wenas road, turn right (west) descend for about 1 mile. On left, look for a poorly defined jeep trail, posted "No Motorized Vehicles" that climbs to Umtanum Ridge (this is a single dashed line on the topo map). Follow this trail southeast to the ridge top (about 2 miles), where the grade lessens.

Follow the ridge road, enjoy the views, for about 8 miles, ultimately to radio towers (3,800ft). (Note that the ridge continues to the east, and one can ride to the Yakima River Canyon from this point.) Just east of the towers, turn left (north) onto the Old Durr Road, and follow this road down to the creek (1,600ft) and back up to Umtanum Road (about 6 miles).

Turn left (west) and follow this road (a gravel county road) west about 6 miles. At Hanson Road, turn right (north) and follow about 3.5 miles to the Manastash Ridge line.

At the ridge, turn left (west) on the road that climbs up, after about ¼ mile, scout about 300-500 feet north to find single-track trail (un-mapped) that descends 1,400 feet in 1.5 miles to the valley. This is wild, and you will return!

At the bottom of the hill, cross the irrigation canal, and turn left (west). Follow the canal about 1.5 miles to Manastash Road, follow the road west about 1.5 miles to your car.

Study the topo maps and explore-there are likely great variations to this ride.

How to get there:
Drive I-90 to the Thorp (Exit 101)(about 20 miles east of Cle Elum, 8 miles west of Ellensburg). Turn right (south) at exit, onto Thorp Highway. Follow this road south east about 1 mile to Miller Road, turn right (south) onto .Miller Road turns into Cove Road, which continues south about 4 miles to Manastash Road. Turn right (west) on Manastash Rd. Head west. Upon crossing the creek, go about 1 mile. Find a road on the left that crosses the narrow valley (on the USGS Manastash Map, the road heads up South Riggs Canyon. This is a public road, though it looks like a driveway. Park on south side of paved road..

Additional Notes:
Area maps: „h Manastash Creek „h Ellensburg South „h Wenas Lake „h The C