This unit has limited access due to no available parking.
Starting in April of 2025, Cascade Fisheries will conduct drone flights over several locations of the Colockum Wildlife Area. This effort will largely be focused on drone imagery of Tarpiscan, Tekison, Brushy and Quilomene Creeks.
Specific flight dates have not been set as they are dependent on weather and other conditions. Each flight will take place during daylight hours Monday through Friday and will follow all FAA and WDFW policies regarding drone operation.
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 Quilomene Unit offers steep, rocky slopes and rolling ridges and canyons, most of which are covered in shrubsteppe habitat. The Wild Horse Wind Farm, owned and managed by Puget Sound Energy, is adjacent to the Quilomene Unit, and spans from Quilomene Ridge Road south to Vantage Highway. A portion of the Quilomene is included in the Wild Horse Coordinated Resources Management Area and grazed with cattle.
The Quilomene Unit is located about 15 miles northeast of Ellensburg in Kittitas County. The unit can be accessed from Parke Creek Road off of Vantage Highway and Beacon Ridge Road.
The Quilomene Unit includes the Quilomene, Skookumchuck, and Parke Creek drainages in the Columbia Plateau and East Cascades. This unit is bordered by the Whiskey Dick Unit, the Wild Horse Wind Farm, and private lands. Most of the privately owned adjoining lands are used for livestock grazing and recreation.
This unit is part of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 329
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:
- No developed parking; parking along roadside is acceptable on state ownership
- No restroom
- Reader boards with information and maps at entry points
Recreation and access advisories
- Campfires are prohibited from April 15 to Oct. 15.
- No parking on the Wild Horse Wind Project without a permit.
- The area south of the Quilomene Ridge road, east of the wind project, north of the Vantage Hwy and west of Jackknife Ridge Road is closed to motorized vehicles from Feb. 1 through April 30.
- The Beacon Ridge road through the Wild Horse Wind Project is closed to public access from December 1 through May 31.
- A portion of the Quilomene Unit is within a Green Dot Road Management area. Maps and regulations are available at the WDFW Region 3 Office, online, and Department of Natural Resource's Southeast Regional Office. Motorized vehicles must stay on designated green dot roads. All other roads not marked with a green dot are not open to motorized vehicles.
- Visitors are asked to close gates behind them and avoid driving on roads when soft and wet.
- Vehicle camping is prohibited beyond 100 feet of open roads.
- Permanent camps or structures are not permitted. All manmade materials must be removed.
Hunting
Big game and upland birds, including chukar, California quail, turkey, mourning dove, partridge, forest grouse and ring-necked pheasant, provide significant hunting opportunity on this unit.
Hunting advisories
- A special migratory bird closure area exists on the Columbia River adjacent to the east boundary this unit (WAC 220-416-070). It is unlawful to hunt migratory waterfowl, coot, and snipe within this area.
- WDFW releases pheasants on this unit. On all WDFW designated pheasant release sites it is unlawful to possess shot (either in shotshells or as loose shot for muzzleloading), other than nontoxic shot, when hunting for upland game birds (pheasant, quail, chukar, and gray partridge), mourning doves, and band-tailed pigeons.
Fishing
There are numerous fish-bearing streams on the unit that contain both resident and anadromous fish stocks.
Wildlife viewing
This unit offers shrubsteppe, sagebrush and bitterbrush mixed with bunchgrasses, streams, springs, and riparian habitats, offering opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, including deer, elk, bighorn sheep, a myriad of small mammals, Greater sage grouse, quail, wild turkey, neo-tropical/upland birds, raptors, and reptiles.
This unit is identified by Audubon as an Important Bird Area.
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
- Greater sage grouse (state-listed threatened species) are sensitive to human disturbance. Do not flush or otherwise disturb these birds.
Conservation
Vegetation is mostly shrub steppe, sagebrush and bitterbrush mixed with bunchgrasses. Streams and springs provide narrow bands of riparian habitat, which supports highly productive ecological communities.
Conservation goals
- Improve and maintain fish populations
- Maintain or improve conditions for priority species and habitats
- Protect and restore native plant communities
- Protect critical elk winter range and upland game bird habitat
- Preserve habitat and species diversity of fish and wildlife resources
Land stewardship
The Quilomene Unit was purchased to expand winter range for deer and elk herds, to perpetuate and improve upland game bird habitat, and provide habitat for sage grouse.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1972 and 2012.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| Power, dike & irrigation districts | Mitigation Funds |
| State of Washington | Legislative Appropriation |
| State of Washington | Mitigation Funds |
| 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 | State Bond Account |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program |
Management planning
The planning process for the new management plan for the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area has begun. In lieu of hosting a public workshop, we have prepared some materials for you to learn more about the wildlife area, the planning process, and how to provide your input to us.
Description of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area (video): An overview of the wildlife area and the key habitats, species, and recreation opportunities.
Management Planning Process (video): An overview of the wildlife area management planning process.
PDF: Brief description of the planning process and wildlife area units.
2023 L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Management Plan
Planning Advisory Committee
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Advisory Committee