Permanent Rule WSR 23-02-069: It is unlawful for any person to cause or allow goats or sheep to be untethered or unattended on this wildlife area unit, unless otherwise permitted by the director to do so. Goats or sheep that have tested positive for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae or that are displaying signs of pneumonia or other illness will not be permitted. Goats or sheep showing signs of pneumonia or other illness while on department lands must be removed within 48 hours. If a goat or sheep becomes lost, the owner must make every effort to locate and recover it. If the goat or sheep cannot be recovered, the owner shall contact the department by telephone as soon as possible.
The Colockum Wildlife Area features exceptionally diverse fish and wildlife habitat that includes shrubsteppe, conifer forest, high elevation lakes, and perennial and seasonal streams. Every year, thousands enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, and wildlife viewing here. Wildlife use is diverse, and resident and migratory fish include chinook, sockeye and coho salmon, steelhead, smallmouth bass, perch, trout, walleye, and white sturgeon in the Columbia River and its tributaries.
The Colockum Wildlife Area is located approximately 15 miles south of Wenatchee, and 20 miles northeast of Ellensburg in Kittitas and Chelan counties. The unit can be accessed from the north on Tarpiscan and Colockum roads off of the Malaga/Alcoa Highway. It can be accessed from the south from the Old Vantage Highway and the Colockum Pass Road.
The Colockum Wildlife Area is so vast that it spreads across Upper Columbia-Entiat, Upper Yakima, and Wenatchee River watersheds, in both the East Cascades and Columbia Plateau. The area is bordered by the Wenatchee National Forest to the west, the Quilomene and Whiskey Dick wildlife area units to the south, and elsewhere by timberlands and shrubsteppe that are under Department of Natural Resources or private ownership.
Game Management Units: 330, 329, 328, 251
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
This location participates in the Green Dot system which restricts motorized vehicle use to marked roads. See the Green Dot Page for more information and detailed maps.
Public facility information:
- Parking and restroom at Yoyo Rock water access site
Recreation and access advisories
- Motorized vehicles are ONLY allowed on Green Dot roads and county roads. Parking is allowed within 100 feet of these roads.
- All Colockum roads are extremely primitive. High clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended. Visitors should carry water, supplies, and a spare tire. Tarpiscan Road is impassable to motor vehicles south of the wildlife area headquarters due to several large washouts. Colockum Road may be impassable by wheeled vehicles from December through March.
- The Arthur Coffin Game Reserve is closed to public entry, except from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28 for winter recreation.
- Snowmobiling is prohibited on big game winter range (east of the Colockum Road, Brewton Road, Powerline Road, and Colockum Road).
Hunting
There are numerous hunting opportunities on the Colockum, including general fall seasons for mule deer, elk, bear, and cougar. There are opportunities and seasons for modern firearm, muzzleloader, and archery hunters. The general modern firearm elk hunt is restricted to "true spike" elk only — a management strategy designed to control the annual harvest of yearling bull elk and allow the Colockum elk herd to reach it's management goals. Small game species that occur on the Colockum include bobcats, raccoons, crows, coyotes, and cottontail and snowshoe hares. Bird species that can be hunted in the fall include ducks and geese, forest grouse, California quail, chukar partridge, Hungarian partridge, and mourning doves. There is a spring general season for turkeys as well. The Colockum includes portions of Game Management Units (GMUs) 251, 328, and 329.
There are a limited number of special permits available in this area for deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. These permits allow hunters to harvest an animal usually not available during the general seasons. These often offer a higher quality hunt and a better chance of success. Hunters must apply for special permits before the application deadline, usually in mid-to-late May. Consult the current Washington Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet for more information.
Hunting advisories
- Not all Game Management Units are open to all general elk and deer seasons. For specific hunt information, seasons, and bag limits consult the current Washington Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet and the current Washington State Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons pamphlet.
- A Game Reserve is established on this unit (WAC 220-411-010). Game Reserves are CLOSED AREAS where hunting and trapping for all wild animals and wild birds is prohibited (RCW 77.12.047).
- A small SAFETY ZONE exists around the Colockum Headquarters; it is unlawful to hunt inside this zone.
- A special migratory bird closure exists on this unit. It is unlawful to hunt migratory waterfowl, coot, and snipe within this area (WAC 220-416-070).
- Snowmobiling is prohibited on big game winter range (east of the Colockum Road, Brewton Road, Powerline Road, and Colockum Pass Road).
Fishing
Fishing opportunities occur on the Colockum on several rivers, streams, and lakes. The Columbia River borders the Colockum and offers opportunities to fish for salmon, trout, walleye, and bass species. White sturgeon reside in the river as well and may be open for fishing on an occasional basis. The main streams on the area include Colockum Creek, Tarpiscan Creek, Brushy Creek, and Stemilt Creek. Lakes in the immediate area include Clara, Marion, Lily, Clear, Upper Wheeler Reservoir, and Spring Hill Reservoir (also called Black Lake). All these lakes are stocked with various trout species.
The Yoyo Rock access site provides boat access to the Columbia River.
Fishing advisories
- Winds and water levels fluctuate regularly on the Wanapum Reservoir. Operate boats with extra caution due to underwater hazards.
Wildlife viewing
This unit has diverse habitats, including low/high-elevation conifer forests, shrubsteppe, grasslands, creeks, springs, and ponds, offering opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, a myriad of small mammals, forest grouse, California quail, wild turkey, Neotropical/upland birds, raptors, and reptiles.
Near Colockum Pass, elk may be seen in summer.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Wildlife viewing advisories
- Avoid newborn deer fawns and elk calves — they are sensitive to disturbance.
Other recreational opportunities
Other popular recreation activities on the Colockum include ATV/4-wheel drive touring, snowmobiling, camping, hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Shed antler hunting is also popular in the spring.
In April and May, lower elevations offer opportunities to view wildflowers.
Other advisories
- Snowmobiling is prohibited on big game winter range (east of the Colockum Road, Brewton Road, Powerline Road, and Colockum Road).
Conservation
Vegetation ranges from the lower elevation shrubs and bunch grasses into Ponderosa pine, then to higher elevations with denser stands of timber, mostly Douglas fir, grand fir, and some larch. Grasslands interspersed with rock outcrops and shrubsteppe communities dominate hillsides in transitional zones.
Special habitats and species
Wildlife use is diverse, including elk, deer, bighorn sheep, bear, cougar, forest grouse, turkey, quail, a myriad of small mammals, neo-tropical/upland birds, raptors, and reptiles. Resident and migratory fish species including chinook, sockeye and coho salmon, steelhead, smallmouth bass, perch, trout, walleye, and white sturgeon inhabit the Columbia River and its tributaries.
Conservation goals
- Maintain fish and wildlife populations through habitat protection and enhancements
- Protect and enhance shrubsteppe, riparian, and forest habitats
- For information on the forest work happening on the wildlife area, see WDFW's Forest Health Story Map.
Wildlife use is diverse, including elk, deer, bighorn sheep, bear, cougar, forest grouse, turkey, quail, a myriad of small mammals, neo-tropical/upland birds, raptors, and reptiles. Resident and migratory fish species including chinook, sockeye and coho salmon, steelhead, smallmouth bass, perch, trout, walleye, and white sturgeon inhabit the Columbia River and its tributaries.
- Maintain fish and wildlife populations through habitat protection and enhancements
- Protect and enhance shrubsteppe, riparian, and forest habitats
- For information on the forest work happening on the wildlife area, see WDFW's Forest Health Story Map.
Land stewardship
Acquisition of the Colockum began in the mid-1950s using federal Pittman-Robertson funds to expand winter range for deer and elk herds and to perpetuate and improve upland game bird habitat. Under WDFW management, this unit includes acres owned by the Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and WDFW. Recent acquisitions include the addition of approximately 3200 acres of forestland in the Stemilt Basin.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1953 and 2022.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| Power, dike & irrigation districts | Mitigation Funds |
| Private Grantor | Private Donation |
| Private Grantor | Transfer of land |
| State of Washington | Legislative Appropriation |
| State of Washington | Transfer of land |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | Endangered Species Act Section 6 Program |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program |
| US National Park Service | Land and Water Conservation Fund |
| WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife | WDFW Game Fund (now Wildlife Fund) |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program |
Management planning
2006 Colockum Wildlife Area Management Plan
Every eight to 10 years, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) revises management plans for each of its 33 wildlife areas to document current conditions, address new agency initiatives, and identify new management priorities and actions. In between those major revisions, WDFW updates plans every two years to outline short-term objectives and accomplishments. In 2014, WDFW began the process of updating existing plans, many of which were written in 2006. The new plans are being developed with significant public participation and input.
Planning Advisory Committee
Colockum Wildlife Area Advisory Committee