Simcoe Mountains Wildlife Area Unit

Grove of oak trees. — Photo by Alan Bauer

White oak trees

The Simcoe Mountains Unit, formerly managed as working forest and rangeland, is now managed through a unique partnership between WDFW and the Central and Eastern Klickitat Conservation Districts to ensure long-term protection of fish and wildlife habitat within a working lands framework. This partnership promotes the values and interests of the local communities in sustaining the cultural and resource importance of this area, while conserving critical habitat for wildlife and protecting water quality for fish.

The Simcoe Mountains Unit is located in eastern Klickitat County, north of the Bickleton Highway and west of the community of Cleveland. It can be accessed from Box Spring Road off of Bickleton Highway.

Download Simcoe Mountains Wildlife Area Unit Road Map. (PDF)

To access the unit from the west: From the intersection of US Highway 97 and State Route 142 (also known as Broadway) in Goldendale, drive north 8.6 miles on US Highway 97 to the intersection with Box Canyon Road. Turn east on Box Canyon Road. Drive 5.3 miles to reach the west boundary of WDFW property, and continue another 1.4 miles to a parking area with an information board. A heavy road gate is located about 0.1 mile beyond the parking area. From this spot and other places along Box Canyon Road, public access is by nonmotorized means. Box Canyon Road is paved for the first 3 miles and then transitions to a primitive road that is quite rough in places, so vehicles with good clearance and sturdy tires are recommended for this route.

This unit is in the Simcoe Mountains southeast of Mount Adams. Bickleton Ridge forms the north edge of the property. The headwaters of Rock Creek and its tributaries originate in the Simcoe Mountains. The western parts of the unit receive more moisture and tend to be higher quality timberland, while the eastern parts of the unit are arid and dominated by open rangeland and dry forest or oak woodlands.

This unit is part of the Klickitat Wildlife Area.

Game Management Unit: 382

Getting there

Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.

Box Springs Road

Contact

Cassandra Holman
Wildlife Area Manager

1886 Glenwood Highway
Goldendale, WA 98620

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:

Parking area
No restroom
Reader board

Recreation and access advisories

This property is a new acquisition and enhancements for public use are ongoing.
Camping is permitted east of the large yellow road gate on Box Spring Road. Camps must be located near the parking area or near Box Spring Road.
Offroad driving is prohibited in order to maintain wildlife habitat quality. Vehicle parking and camps must be within 50 feet of the road to minimize impacts to rangeland.
Motorized access is prohibited beyond the parking area on Box Spring Road.
Dogs are required to be on leash (WAC 232-13-180) to reduce disturbance to wildlife and livestock.
Respect private property and Yakama Reservation boundaries. Property boundaries are marked by fences in some areas, but not everywhere. Use of navigational aids, such as a map and compass or GPS, is advised.
Many logging roads on the property are not mapped or marked with signs.
E-Bikes are not permitted for use within nonmotorized access areas on the Klickitat Wildlife Area.

Hunting

The Simcoe Mountains Unit offers hunting opportunities for deer, wild turkey, and black bear.

Hunting advisories

General hunting seasons apply for GMU 382 East Klickitat.
Be sure of your target: cattle may be on the range during early hunting seasons.

Wildlife viewing

The Simcoe Mountains Unit features steppe rangelands, pine-oak forests, pure oak woodlands, riparian shrub and forests, vernal streams, and a few perennial springs. The property is home to deer, wild turkeys, bears, cougars, elk, coyotes, and bobcats. Because the unit is mostly accessed by nonmotorized means, animals are disturbed less frequently and may be seen more easily from roads.

Western gray squirrels, which are a state-listed threatened species, occur here. The squirrels are pewter-gray tree with a white or pale yellow underside, and have a long, bushy tail. They may be observed foraging on the ground for seeds, acorns, insects, mushrooms, or green vegetation. Adults build platform nests in pine or fir trees, and young are raised in hollow oak trees.

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

Other public recreation on this unit of the wildlife area includes horseback riding, hiking, and wildflower viewing. This unit has a network of old logging roads, which serve as trails. Expansive views may be enjoyed from the top of Bickleton Ridge.

Camping is permitted east of the large yellow road gate on Box Spring Road. Camps must be located near the parking area or near Box Spring Road. Offroad driving is prohibited in order to maintain wildlife habitat quality. Vehicle parking and camps must be within 50 feet of the road to minimize impacts to rangeland.

Other advisories

The duration of stay for camping is limited to 14 days in a 30-day period.
Open campfires are not allowed. Wood and charcoal fires must be within fully enclosed stoves having a screen on the stovepipe to catch sparks.
Only dead and downed wood may be salvaged for firewood. No standing trees may be cut.
Propane stoves, grills, and firepits are permitted for use.

Conservation

This unit includes Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, and oak/ pine forests, as well as open meadows and riparian habitats. This property is part of the Rock Creek drainage, whose lower reaches support a genetically distinct run of steelhead. The Simcoe Mountains Unit conserves habitat that will protect water quality for these fish.

Special habitats and species

Western gray squirrels, a state-threatened species, occupy the conifer forests and mixed pine-oak woodlands. Conservation of key habitat for these squirrels will help support this naturally occurring population.

Conservation goals

WDFW has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Eastern and Central Conservation Districts to develop the management plan for this unit. The plan, including conservation its goals, is being developed through the Coordinated Resource Management Process.

Land stewardship

Acquisition of the Simcoe Mountains Unit was initiated to strategically protect a key landscape for conservation within a working lands famework. Purchased from a large commercial timber company, management of this unit is through a unique partnership between WDFW and the Central and Eastern Klickitat Conservation Districts to ensure long-term protection of fish and wildlife habitat that provides connectivity within a working lands framework of compatible grazing and forestry.

Acquisition history

The parcels making up this area were purchased between 2016 and 2023.

Funder	Fund
Private Grantor	Private Donation
WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife	Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
WA Recreation and Conservation Office	Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Management planning

2023 DRAFT Simcoe Mountains Management Plan

The plan will help to guide public access and outdoor recreation, habitat enhancements, and forest and range management, among other elements, for the Simcoe Mountains Unit. The plan will be an addendum to the Klickitat Wildlife Area Plan, which is updated every 10 years.

2016 Klickitat Wildlife Area Management Plan
In 2016, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) updated the management plan for the Klickitat Wildlife Area, which consists of seven 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. 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.