The Cowiche Unit is an excellent example of intact shrubsteppe plant community attracting a variety of shrub steppe obligate birds. Birders and nature lovers can see many bird species and beautiful spring wildflowers throughout the area. Elk and mule deer can be found year-round. This unit is walk-in and horseback access ONLY.
The Cowiche Unit is located 11 miles west of Yakima in Yakima County. The unit can be accessed from Cowiche Mill Road.
The Cowiche Unit is located on the east slopes of the Cascades and within the Naches and Tieton River Sub-basins of the Yakima River Watershed. This unit is isolated from other public lands and is primarily surrounded by agriculture and rural development.
This unit is part of the Oak Creek Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 368
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.
Public facility information:
- Small parking area
- No restroom
Recreation and access advisories
- Walk-in and horseback access only.
- Motor vehicles are prohibited other than on Cowiche Mill Road which bisects the unit and offers roadside parking.
- The unit is closed to public entry south of Cowiche Mill Road from the start of winter feeding until May 1 at 6 a.m. to protect elk from human disturbance. The boundary of the closure is clearly posted and marked on Green Dot maps available at the Oak Creek Headquarters and the Region 3 office in Yakima.
Hunting
The Cowiche Unit is popular for hunting deer, elk and upland game birds.
Fishing
This unit offers limited-occasional trout fishing opportunities.
Wildlife viewing
This unit includes pristine shrubsteppe habitat, offering opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and shrubsteppe-obligate birds.
The South Fork Cowiche Creek, offers opportunities to view spawning steelhead.
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.
Other recreational opportunities
This unit offers opportunities to view wildflowers in spring and has trails for hiking and horseback riding.
A segment of the William O. Douglas Trail runs through this unit, offering great views of shrubsteppe habitat and the Yakima Valley. The 5-mile Box Spring Canyon Trail is part of the William O. Douglas Trail; from Snow Mountain Ranch parking lot, walk west to Sunset Road; follow the elk fence and at the first corner, hikers can use the gate in the elk fence to access an old road and pick up the trail that runs beside it.
Conservation
This unit has pristine shrubsteppe habitat, as well as oak woodland and riparian habitats. The South Fork Cowiche Creek, which hosts spawning steelhead now that downstream barriers have been removed, flows for more than three miles through the unit.
Special habitats and species
The South Fork Cowiche Creek flows through the middle of the unit, and is important for the recovery of Mid-Columbia steelhead.
Conservation goals
- Coordinate milk weed plantings on wildlife area with Cowiche Canyon Conservancy to support monarch butterfly and other pollinators conservation
- Identify acquisition priorities for expansion of wintering habitat for elk, mule deer, and other fish and wildlife species
- Maintain and enhance upland bird habitat
- Develop and implement a shrubsteppe post-fire rehabilitation plan
- Maintain and restore riparian and instream habitat for steelhead, bull trout and other priority species along the Tieton, South Fork Cowiche, Oak Creek and Naches Rivers
- Maintain big-game feeding program annually
The South Fork Cowiche Creek flows through the middle of the unit, and is important for the recovery of Mid-Columbia steelhead.
- Coordinate milk weed plantings on wildlife area with Cowiche Canyon Conservancy to support monarch butterfly and other pollinators conservation
- Identify acquisition priorities for expansion of wintering habitat for elk, mule deer, and other fish and wildlife species
- Maintain and enhance upland bird habitat
- Develop and implement a shrubsteppe post-fire rehabilitation plan
- Maintain and restore riparian and instream habitat for steelhead, bull trout and other priority species along the Tieton, South Fork Cowiche, Oak Creek and Naches Rivers
- Maintain big-game feeding program annually
Land stewardship
The Cowiche Unit was primarily purchased for migration corridors for elk and deer; protection fo raptors, bats, white-headed woodpecker, steelhead, bull trout, golden eagle, bighorn sheep; and wildlife oriented recreation.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1975 and 2021.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| Power, dike & irrigation districts | Private Donation |
| Private Grantor | Private Donation |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | Endangered Species Act Section 6 Program |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program |
| WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife | WDFW Game Fund (now Wildlife Fund) |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Salmon Recovery Fund |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | State Bond Account |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program |
Management planning
2018 Oak Creek Wildlife Area Management Plan
In 2018, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) updated the management plan for the Oak Creek Wildlife Area, which consists of three units. The management plan addresses the status of wildlife species in the area and their habitat, the progress of restoration efforts, and public recreation opportunities. The plan covers activities for three landscapes in the Cowiche, Oak Creek, and Rock Creek units. Every eight to 10 years, 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.
Planning Advisory Committee
Oak Creek Wildlife Area Advisory Committee